Untold
by reign of tears
Summary: AU. Sasuke doesn't know anything, and for Naruto, it's better that way. SxN /Complete/
1. Sacrifices

**Chapter 1: Sacrifices**

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**SasuNaru: (Rated M)**

**Part 1/6**

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_"Untold sufferings seldom so."_

.

.

Life was never good to him.

It must have been the case that when God showered all the bad luck in the world, he must have been the only moron standing up, with his head and hands raised towards the heaven, accepting everything like an idiot that he is. Like they were all meant for him. Like he deserved every _goddamned_ piece rotten luck meant to exist in the world. And though his life for the past 17 years had not changed, he remained hopeful. He hoped that one day things would be a little different. Life would be less…difficult and painful.

Time and time again, he should have learned. He should have stopped clinging on to these naïve dreams. He should have known better.

"I told you Uzumaki."

He should have _fucking_ known better.

"_He_ will be watching us. Start playing the part, why don't you?" Naruto barely registered the smooth whisper that ghosted over his ears as warm breaths tickled his nape. The voice was low but the tone was undeniably cold nonetheless. Crisp and cool like it had always been in his memory.

_They were friends. How could have this happen?_

Naruto inwardly cursed. He squeezed his eyes shut, unconsciously tightening his grip on the clean, expensive-looking satin covers of the bed. Lying on his bare chest, he tried to shift his position to face the other, but it proved futile as the body over his leaned in closer, effectively weighing him down.

"Neji." Naruto mumbled, letting his cheeks rest on the covers instead, ceasing all efforts of struggle. "Just get this over with, you jerk."

"Hmm." The pale boy breathed deeply, then leaned in closer, his long hair grazing the blonde's back. "Don't be cheeky Uzumaki. All of these would be pointless if we skipped the foreplay."

"The hell are you-!"

"You have to enjoy this." Was the curt response. It was like the pale boy had expected that the blond would retaliate. The worst part is, Naruto knew all too well what those words mean.

"_As a crucial part of the deal, you have to show him that you're enjoying this…_

_If you decline, what do you think will happen? His beloved family's prominent reputation on the line, and I hate to say what will happen if the public knew of this. This disgrace… It will ruin everything._

_He'll suffer, Naruto._

_His perfect, little world would shatter into pieces._

_And it would be your entire fault._

Naruto gritted his teeth and swallowed hard.

…_Your fault, Uzumaki…"_

Two years ago, none of these would have meant anything to him. He could have cared less or given a flying fuck for the famed Uchiha reputation. In all actuality, he doesn't even know them. His life, for the first fifteen years, had only concentrated on one thing—and that is survival. Being an orphan, he was left alone to survive in the harsh neighborhood of downtown Tokyo. All his innocence stripped away at such a young age. He had given up everything, sacrificed everything just to survive, because there was nothing else in his life that mattered anymore. There was none worth keeping. There was none worth cherishing. None worth protecting. Not his dirty, tainted body. Not his naïve, pointless dreams. Not his pathetic, unloved life.

Uzumaki Naruto was never worth it.

But all of these changed two years ago. Two years ago, he crossed the path of one Uchiha Sasuke. And it changed his life.

It was supposed to be just a one-time encounter. Naruto had only planned to mug the conceited looking bastard who happened to wander in "his territory". But in one of the rarest occasions, he failed. The Uchiha caught him red-handed immediately, earning him a broken nose and a bloody lip. Straightening himself up and fixing his tie, the Uchiha-who frustratingly-doesn't even have a mark on his face, looked at Naruto for a minute before dragging him, kicking and screaming (literally), to the nearest foundation center. It was then that he knew that the bastard was one of the people supervising the charity works in their area, a part of a developmental project of the government.

It was where he met Iruka and many other orphans like him, and of course, Sasuke.

The first person to save him.

The first person to ever acknowledge him.

The first person he ever loved.

And who loved him back…

Two years ago… Those were the happiest moments of his life.

But it was all a mistake. It should have never happened. They should have never adopted him.

_Because he'll ruin them._

"Uzumaki." A cold voice brought him back to the harsh reality. "We have a deal."

The door clicked open. Uchiha Sasuke who was still wearing his school uniform, and the student council band in his left arm, stepped inside his room. Naruto took one last glance at Sasuke before wetting his quivering lips. He smiled, closed his eyes and brought his lips to Neji's.

"Na…"

Without taking his eyes off the stunned Uchiha, Neji responded and roughly pushed Naruto against the bed, returning the kiss. Neji's hands trailed across Naruto's exposed chest, drifting lower to the blonde's stomach. Naruto forced a moan.

"What the hell-?"

Naruto had barely heard Sasuke's surprised statement when he felt Neji being yanked away from him. There was a grunt as Sasuke slammed Neji none too gently against the wall.

"It's nice to see you, Uchiha."

"Shut it, Hyuuga."

Neji sneered, unmindful of the sheer loathing radiating off of the other pale boy. Sasuke was breathing heavily, his shoulders tensing, and his whole face contorted into pure rage.

"What seems to be the problem, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha glared, before letting his clenched fist connect to the other's jaw. There was a faint crack as Neji was thrown sideways by the impact.

"Get out of my sight, Hyuuga before I kill you right here." The words were spoken with such venom and threat that Neji's mocking smile visibly faltered. He then stood up, picked up his discarded white polo and blazer and approached Naruto. Sasuke's nails were digging into his palms when Neji leaned closer to Naruto's face.

"Good bye, Naruto. We had such a great time." The blonde fought back the urge to flinch. Neji noticed this and smiled. He then took one last look at Sasuke and walked away, leaving the two in the most uncomfortable situation.

For a full minute, silence reigned inside the room. No one dared to speak or to move.

"Sasuke…" Naruto started, unable to contain the silence.

"Get the hell out of my house, Naruto. Pack your things and leave." Naruto stiffened. He was expecting this - planned for this to happen, but he didn't know why his chest felt unbearably tight.

Slowly and quietly, Naruto stood up. He picked up his uniform and bag and walked towards the door.

"Goodbye Sasuke," he said.

And then he left.

**(TBC)**


	2. Prodigal

_**"I met him when I was 15."**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

**Chapter 2:**** Prodigal**

_[Two years ago: Naruto, age 15]_

_The charity line was long._

_It extended all the way to the second alley from where Naruto was currently sitting. It doesn't matter what day it is – rain or shine. For as long as Naruto can remember, the line of people waiting for free food had always been long. In fact, it keeps on growing every year. More and more people must have been burying themselves in debt, or being affected by the worsening recession. Not that Naruto cares. He'd been poor since birth._

_This dirty, damp alley had been his neighborhood ever since. His only refuge. The food line on the other hand, had been his convenient last resort, his version of a complimentary not-so-fancy restaurant. It sated his hunger, when the food in the orphanage proved insufficient, or when the caretakers of the orphanage simply ignored him._

_He sighed. It's no use thinking of these things._

_He brought the half-burning cigarette in his mouth, pausing before inhaling the damaging smoke. He closed his eyes, reveling in the heat that embraced his lungs. It was cold and his extremely thin, tattered fleece jacket isn't helping one bit. He counted in his mind, a bit hesitant in letting go of the only heat in his arctic system. But it's quite stupid, as he needs to breathe._

_He then slowly released it, watching the smoke as it formed various shapes in his line of sight. From his cloudy vision, he imagined the smoke forming his favorite food and other…stuff. He smiled. He must be really stoned to appreciate these things._

'_Damn old fart.'_

_Naruto gnashed his teeth, unintentionally massaging his swollen wrists. The wounds will heal soon, he knew. And the memories of that night will be forgotten like all the rest. He could not even remember half of the ordeal, really. Everything… everything was vague and literally misty. Like they did not happen and it was all just a dream. Naruto scoffed to himself, knowing full well that it did happen. His aching back and his swollen wrists can attest to that._

_And… he's still 'high'. Fortunately so. Because if he wasn't, the bone-chilling cold of the November afternoon would be too much to handle – even for him. For one of the rarest moments of his life, he was actually thankful that the old fart he shared the night with has been very generous in upping the dosage. The three emptied syringes in his gut could last him for the rest of the day._

_He leaned back, continuing to watch the dissipating number of people from the food line. Naturally, he let his mind wander, perfectly comfortable in his vantage point. A few minutes passed and his eyes began to droop. He hugged his threadlike jacket for additional warmth and repositioned his body so he can comfortably sleep. But before he dozed off, he heard a car stop nearby, followed by a car door opening, then steady footsteps approaching him. A shadow loomed over his body. Naruto felt vulnerable but defensive._

_Without opening his eyes, Naruto spoke, mild irritation obvious in his tone. "Whoever you stinking-old-geezer are, I'm not interested. Go away."_

_There was silence. Then a docile clearing of throat. The shadow remained in his spot, and Naruto's discomfort rose. Naruto finally opened his eyes and glared at the annoying intruder. Well at least, he tried to, as his intimidating line of sight was met by an equally scathing glare._

_His mouth slightly open in disbelief, Naruto could only utter, "…You again?"_

"_Hn."_

_The Uchiha advanced forward, invading Naruto's personal space. "What do you want?" Naruto almost spat, feeling like a cornered cat. His back pressed against the wall. For some reason, he couldn't stand this guy. That annoying perfect face and composure grated on his nerves._

"_Iruka told me you ran away again."_

"…_So?"_

"_We do not tolerate that behavior in the Center. I hope you know that."_

"_Again… so?" Naruto countered boldly._

_The Uchiha stopped moving, his eyes focused on the blond, his lips pressed thinly – clearly displeased._

_Naruto gradually stood, his eyes defiant. He could not understand the issue here. Orphans flee all the time. What makes his case different? "I'm not going back to that hell-hole. Tell that to your fancy little caretakers and leave me the hell alone."_

_Someone from the back retaliated. "You punk." It was then that Naruto noticed them._

_There were three uniformed personnel at the back. Two were clearly bodyguards. The other one whose hair was shockingly silver, a mask on his face and differently dressed – he doesn't know. Or care. It's just that, all of a sudden, he felt caged and a little intimidated. Why can't these people leave him alone? Who does this pompous, pretentious bastard think he is – suddenly making an appearance and forcing him to live in an equally pompous, pretentious place? Naruto gritted his teeth._

_Sasuke raised his palm, a mute command for non-interference._

"_I suggest you return. The Center is a better, safer place for—."_

_A mocking laugh resounded in the area, prompting some passers-by to look at the unusual crowd. Naruto clutched his stomach, seemingly very impressed at something. walked towards the pale boy. Still looking at the Uchiha, Naruto picked a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with his near-empty lighter. He put the cigarette between his lips and inhaled deeply._

_Naruto waited for a few more seconds before he released the smoke – right at the Uchiha's face. He blew until his mouth is thoroughly empty of the smoke, licking his lips after in relish._

_Through the haze of the smoke, Naruto could see the slight widening of the pale man's eyes, as if he could not believe what was happening. The blond grinned, his eyes squinting in pure childish delight as he watched the other tightly clenching his fists, his face contorted in barely controlled annoyance._

_The bodyguards advanced, their steps angry and loud. "Why you – !"_

_Sasuke raised his hand again. "Don't." He commanded in a cold, impatient voice and the guards immediately stopped._

"_Uzumaki." The Uchiha spoke. "This is the last time I will ask this. I do not like repeating myself. This place is unfit for individuals like you. The Center provides a better residence, a safer, more secured home for people like you."_

"_Like me? What do you take me for, you bastard!" Naruto shouted, uncaring that their faces are mere inches apart. "This is my home. This is where I live. You people are the ones not welcomed here. You don't own this place, you –"_

"_Apparently we do. This whole district is government-owned."_

"_Wha-. Tch, fuck if I care. All those public property-shit, who gives a damn about those, you friggin' bastard! We were all born here. We live here all our lives and we will die here. And no matter what you do, you can't make us leave this place. You can't make **me **leave this place! So why don't you just shove your projects, your pretty little Center up your pretty little asses and leave us the hell alone!"_

"…_."_

_The thick, uncomfortable silence was a resounding "no", as if implying that Naruto was not worth the answer._

"_Tch." Naruto angrily tore his eyes away, breathing deeply. He felt a sudden ache in his temple._

_Feeling unusually nauseous, he swallowed the bitter bile rising in his throat. He was wrong. The dosage would not last after all – and the withdrawal symptoms were starting to kick in. it would be an incredibly painful night. "Fuck." He brought his hand to his mouth and felt the world slowly spin._

_One tan hand suddenly clutched the Uchiha's shoulder, unconsciously clinging for support. The fine smooth fabric felt good under his calloused fingers. He slowly gripped it, finding satisfaction at the creases he's producing._

_The Uchiha figure tensed._

_Naruto could feel it but he doesn't care and he leaned further, smelling the perfume lingering on the Uchiha's clothes. It smelled clean. It smelled like –_

_And Naruto vomited. Right then and there. At the Uchiha's side, missing the Uchiha's fancy polished shoes but doing irreparable damage at the raven's clothes nonetheless._

_Naruto licked his lips and swallowed hard._

"_Oops."_

_He heard a loud gasp and knew at once where it came from. Naruto raised his face to look at the Uchiha's guards and sure enough, they're all stunned, incredibly so. Naruto smiled despite his dizziness, feeling immensely proud of himself. It was vulgar and dirty – but goddamn it, he's enjoying this._

_He did not bother to look at the Uchiha and just struggled to stand up straighter. He patted the raven's shoulder twice and mock-saluted his security, before finally leaving the aghast group._

_._

_From the back, Kakashi watched the disappearing blond with vague amusement. That was a rather… interesting encounter, he mused. The white-haired adviser then fixed his line of sight to his superior. Sasuke's pale countenance gave nothing away, just a thin pressing of lips. The Uchiha's fists were still clenched tightly at his sides, but they were no longer trembling. And his back was still as straight as ever. The guards, on the other hand, looked positively livid._

_Kakashi advanced toward his boss. "Uchiha-dono, your jacket."_

"_No need." Sasuke unbuttoned his tailor-made Cashmere coat. He looked briefly at the vomit marring the side of the expensive coat, then threw it away. There was no expression on his face, Kakashi noted. Not even a hint of disgust or slight anger._

"_Kakashi."_

"_Hai."_

_The Uchiha looked introspective then fixed his gaze at his adviser. "That orphan. I want you to find out where he lives."_

_Quite surprised, Kakashi just nodded. "…Got it." He proceeded to open the car door for his boss. As Kakashi glanced back, he found the Uchiha smelling the stain on his cuffs – a hint of something glinting in his eyes. It might have been his imagination, but for some reason, the white-haired adviser felt a little disturbed._

* * *

_._

_._

**"_I met Sasuke when I was fifteen. That was two years ago-_**

**_-when I watched the bastard's back… as he burned my house to the ground."_**

_._

_._

* * *

_And now, I still have nowhere else to go._

_(Present: Naruto, age 17)_

Naruto hugged his clothes for additional warmth. It's excruciatingly cold and he berated himself for not having the common sense to pick a thicker coat.

He doesn't know why he's here. Of all the damn places, why did his feet drag him back here – at his old apartment? His old burnt down apartment. This was his former home, before the Uchihas took him in. His lips curved into a smile. He wasn't happy or nostalgic. That mocking smile was directed to himself, as if he himself was making fun of his situation. It was laughable really, how he got into this mess in the first place.

He looked around, wondering why there hasd been no development in this area. It has been two years since then. Wasn't the government supposed to develop this district? Wasn't that what Sasuke said?

"_Sasuke."_

He gritted his teeth, unable to ignore the sharp pain in his chest. His line of sight lingered a bit more to the abandoned, charred debris before he turned away. He could no longer ignore the insufferable chill stabbing his skin and decided that he needed to go – before he froze here to death.

"I knew you'd be here."

Naruto looked up, stunned. "…Neji." Then he frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"I was… searching for you."

"Huh?"

"He kicked you out, didn't he?" Neji asked, a tinge of complacency in his voice, but his face remained blank.

Naruto's anger boiled, but he shut his mouth. Shoving his clenched fists deep into his pockets, he started to walk away.

"This was your old residence."

It wasn't a question. Naruto abruptly stopped.

"That information," Neji continued, "is in your files too. Among other things."

Naruto glared back at Neji. "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. Where did you get those files? Who gave them to you?" Naruto questioned, his voice loud. Deep inside, he's praying that the animosity he's showing can conceal the feeling of shame threatening to leak out. '_Fuck, he read my files. He read my files.'_

"If you want a specific answer, I found your files on my father's desk. But I have no knowledge of the people who sent them."

Neji's dad work as a Chief of the Tokyo Police Department which makes it fairly understandable why the old man had those files. Neji must have discovered them and promptly used the information to blackmail him. Of all things. Though Naruto considered them as friends, Neji had always been oddly cold towards him. Neji was never mean but Naruto never knew the other hated him this much.

_Well, shit._

'_So, they're on to me, huh?' _Naruto looked away, feeling the familiar sting of dread creeping up his system. _'They finally found me.' _Naruto smiled bitterly.

"Burn them."

Neji's eyebrow rose. Naruto's voice was uncharacteristically deeper and his eyes were downcast.

"Burn those files, Neji." Naruto said. "Tell your dad to leave my case alone. He ain't gonna get anything from that. Just… leave it."

"Naruto…"

"You too. Don't associate yourself with me anymore." Naruto looked back at Neji again. "You've read my info. You… do know who I am, right?

…What I've done. And what I can do."

"Naruto." Neji's eyes widened. "They are all true then? All of them…?"

"…."

"Answer me."

Naruto sneered. "What do you think, Neji? Would you hate me less if they weren't?"

"I never hat –."

"Thank you." Naruto fixed his gaze at the ground. He smiled as he let himself be distracted by the snowflakes slowly pooling around his leather shoes. "You're still a jerk. And I'm still angry at you and I can't believe you did that. But I still want to thank you. If you haven't done that… I don't think I'd ever have the courage to…"

'_Leave that place.'_

"You have given me a way out." Naruto turned away. "I don't belong there."

_-They can't fix me._

"…Naruto." Neji advanced. "What are you going to do now? Where do you plan to go?"

The blond shrugged. "…Well to be completely honest, I have no idea. I just have to… hide for now I guess. Make myself invisible for the meantime." Naruto glanced back, grinning at Neji. "Lie low. Heh. Figured I should have done this earlier."

Neji did not smile back, but his features softened a bit. "You idiot." The pale boy made a few steps towards Naruto, one pale hand extended. "Why don't you come with me? I can ask my father to take you in. We can aid you. We can give you protection."

Naruto chuckled softly. Though his smile remained intact, Naruto looked rueful. He bit his lower lip, suppressing a shiver. "I appreciate the concern, Neji…

…But I am not the one who needs protection here." With one last look at Neji, Naruto walked off, his hands still shoved deep in his pockets.

And Neji just stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to move as he watched Naruto's retreating figure. The cold bitter wind was unrelenting and the snowflakes kept on falling. His cellphone vibrated in his pocket but he failed to notice it. Unwittingly, his frown deepened.

* * *

Naruto poured a generous amount of liquid soap in his open palm. Satisfied at the amount, he spread the soap in his hair then down to his body, shivering at the cold feel. He let his eyes wander at the small cubicle. It was dirty, smelly and the tiles are grimy.

He used to do this when he was younger –sneaking at random restrooms for a quick relief or a free shower. That was the time when he ran away from the orphanage and started living in the streets. He enjoyed the freedom. He craved for independence since he was little, and when he finally had it, he treasured it.

However, like every good thing in his life, it was all short-lived as he eventually realized the unforgiving, violent nature of this kind of lifestyle.

It was solitary and unsafe. Nights were brutally cold and the days are a constant battle for survival. And he persevered – doing anything just to live. He wasn't completely innocent. He did things that can make even bad people… cringe.

_monster_

He stopped – momentarily distracted by the noise outside the restroom. There were surprised, panicking voices outside. Though the voices were muffled, Naruto has a pretty good idea what they were panicking about. The door was locked and it was a public toilet. Hence, he should hurry up.

He lifted the pail filled with water and poured all the contents on his soap-filled body. Mentally cursing himself for forgetting a towel, he took his blazer to dry himself.

In less than a minute, he was fully clothed and hurriedly opened the door. One hand at his nape, he grinned at the bunch of irate people outside, hair still dripping wet.

"Hehe. Took a long piss. Sorry 'bout that."

"Fuck blondie, get out of there." Some random, yakuza-looking man shoved Naruto at the side and ran inside, not even bothering to glance at him.

Naruto just smirked, picked himself up and arranged his crumpled polo. "Must be an emergency." He noticed a loitering woman staring at him and feeling a little gutsy, Naruto playfully winked at her. "Hi there… Miss?"

Naruto froze. She looked familiar.

_Ah shit._

"…." The woman continued to stare at him, appraising him. And then, her red, thick lips opened. "I knew it. You look familiar, blondie."

Before Naruto could even say anything, the restroom door burst open, and the creepy-looking man from earlier came out. The woman gave Naruto a fleeting look before she shifted his attention to the other guy. "Hey honey, look what I found. It's –"

Naruto backed away, his step faltering. He did not dare turn around. He knew he'd be recognized immediately. A sudden grab at his shoulders halted his movements. His eyes widened and he felt something trickle down his face. Something swelled in his chest – threatening to burst.

_fear. panic_

"—Where are you going?"

Naruto's clenched fist instantly flew and hit the man square at the jaw. He heard something crack as he withdrew his fist. The woman shrieked at the scene and lost her balance, falling on her rear. Naruto did not waste any more time and hurriedly gathered his bearings and ran away.

_anger_

* * *

Naruto ran until his knees gave out and he nearly collapsed on the pavement. He was on all-fours at the middle of the street, totally oblivious of the people staring at him. He's panting and sweating all over. His chest felt extremely heavy and he could barely breathe. He gripped his chest, willing his heart to stop beating in a maddening pace.

"That bastard." Naruto breathed, deep-seated anger still gripping his gut. "Should have… _damn it, _I swear, if I-"

In his dazed and exhausted state, Naruto barely heard someone moved behind him. One hand suddenly gripped his arm and forcefully yanked him backwards. Naruto cried at the sudden pull, struggling to maintain his balance.

"Heh. Found ya, you punk. Think you can get away from us a second time?"

Naruto scrunched up his nose at the whiff of the man's breath. It smelled disgusting. He tried to jerk away, but the man tightened his hold, and snaked another arm to the other side of Naruto, securing the latter in place. "Get your filthy hands off of me, you asshole." Naruto spat.

The man chuckled heartily in response. One of his teeth glinted proudly while he sneered at the blond. "Not before…we're even, fucker. I haven't paid you yet, have I? Where have you been all this time, huh? Been searching for you ever since…" The man grabbed Naruto's throat. "You stinking pile of shit. You thought I forgot, huh? What you did to me. After every fuckin' thing I did for you."

The grip on his neck tightened. Naruto gasped for air.

"And now, you dare show your face to me again."

"Urgh… Off. Let me go, you-."

The man did let go. He kicked Naruto's back as hard as he could. Naruto tumbled a few feet forward. Regaining composure, he braced himself for incoming attacks. But there was none. The man continued to stare at him, brown eyes gleaming as he surveyed the blond. "Well lookie here, is that a uniform you're wearing? Fancy that. Now I'm really interested. Tell me, who is it this time?"

"...What?"

"Who? Who's the unlucky little sugardaddy now?"

Naruto gawked.

"The one paying for all your shit. You must be living the life now, ain't ya? How much for one night, eh?" Tilting his head to one side to show off the tattoo on his neck, the man licked his lips slowly. "I pity the fucker though. He's been cheated. You're already a damaged good."

_come on, boy. suck it._

And that was it. Naruto saw red. He pounced at the tattooed man at such speed that the other just froze at the spot, literally unmoving.

The world suddenly seemed hazy and he couldn't feel anything. Couldn't hear anything. His clenched fist continued to travel down, hitting the soft flesh of the man's face. Again and again. He couldn't stop.

Couldn't.

His line of sight lingered from the man's tattoo on his neck, then to the patches of blood on the pavement. He felt sick, but he still couldn't stop.

_blood. there's blood everywhere. it's your mess, boy.** lick it**_

"Naruto-kun." One pale hand wrapped around his wrist. It was a gentle yet firm hold and Naruto immediately stopped. "You'll kill him if you continue." Naruto blinked… _That voice?_ Slowly, he turned around to face the other.

For a second, Naruto gaped at the tall man, eyes squinting and confused. Then his eyes widened in recall…

"…A-

…aniki?"

* * *

_._

_._

**"_I met him_****_ when I was thirteen._**

**_He looked so hollow and unreal. His face so pale, his eyes so dark._**

**'-_-Sad. He looked so sad.'_**

**_Unwillingly, I stretched out my hand,_**

**_And I touched him..._**

_._

_._

* * *

It's hot.

Naruto felt dizzy. It was like his thoughts are swimming in a cloud of heated smoke and everything is misty and burning. So unreal. Everything felt so unreal. Like he's trapped in a dream. He's panting and gasping for air and he couldn't get out.

_a dream. this must be a dream_

"A—ahh…"

And there was pain. Dull, searing pain everywhere. Hands as cold as ice gripped his sides, blunt nails digging into the flesh. The rhythmic thrusts going deeper and deeper. His teeth clenched behind his lips, he gripped the sheets, struggling not to scream.

_In a pace so maddeningly slow, it moves—_and Naruto strains to follow, breathing in hollow gasps.

In his mind, he saw the bloodied pavement, the tattoo on the man's neck, those lifeless eyes – staring at him. His own image reflected in those terrified eyes. It's sick and Naruto suddenly felt nauseous. He caused that pain. In cold blood. Unfeeling. He shivered in disgust.

"Are you cold?"

A man's voice broke the silence of the dreary room. It was deep, a bit soothing. The tone is achingly familiar. Without opening his eyes, Naruto nodded in response.

A warm body hovered over his form before Naruto felt heat engulfed his body. The man wrapped his arms around the blond. It was mildly comforting, if it were not for that dull ache.

"Does it hurt?"

"…No." Naruto opened his eyes, blinked tiredly a few times, and stared at the endless pools of black in front of him—

_Those eyes. The same black but…_

—and suddenly, all the comfort and calm he felt earlier vanished into thin air. The eyes were blank, seemingly uncaring. Cold. Exceedingly different from the ones in his memory…

_It's different. You're not… you're not him_.

"It doesn't hurt." Naruto's words were strained, his voice hoarse. "Now move it, will you."

The other raised a brow. He stared at Naruto. And the other stared back defiantly, as if in challenge. Naruto could not hold back the sneer. "You're stopping? What, are you tired alrea—?"

A pale hand seized the blond's throat. Naruto winced. The grip tightened momentarily before the man eventually let go. "Insolence is a bad trait, otouto."

Naruto coughed a few times before he found his voice and put his mocking grin back in place. He licked his upper lip. "So is fucking your little brother, Itachi nii-san."

"We are not…" Unfazed, the older man lowered his lips to Naruto's jaw, and kissed the part gently, "real brothers, Naruto-kun." Naruto could feel the man's lips as they move slowly down his neck, mumbling words Naruto could not understand, leaving trails of saliva on his skin.

.

.

* * *

_**"I met Itachi when I was thirteen.**_

_**He looked so hollow and unreal. His face so pale, his eyes so dark.**_

_**I stretched out my hand, and touched him…**_

_**… his cold fingers met mine,**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**And that is when everything starts crumbling down."**_

* * *

**(TBC)**

**Part 2/6**


	3. Of Dead Trees

**Chapter 3: Of Dead Trees**

* * *

**Rated M for Adult Themes**

**Part 3/6**

* * *

_If you could run, run now. __Don't look back. __Don't falter in your steps. __Don't slow down._

_Just run._

* * *

_(Four Years Ago: Naruto, age 13)_

_Naruto met the man when he was thirteen._

_It was a cold October afternoon and the sun was beginning to set, tainting the city outlines with a reddish glow. The skies seemed like they were burning but the air still felt so cold. Naruto shivered and buried himself deeper into his coat._

_It was his birthday that day. _

_And like all of the previous years, he had planned to celebrate it alone in the old orphanage park. The park was old and diminutive in size, with most of the playground equipment and facilities no longer working. The once vibrant colors of the park had already faded, giving the place an extremely dull, aged look. It seemed like an abandoned place, not anymore fit for a child. But Naruto had no qualms. He liked this place._

_This place held so many memories, and though not all of them were good, Naruto still treasured them. For as long as he could remember, he had always celebrated his birthday here – alone in this park. And this year won't be any different. _

_But fate seemed to have another plan that day._

_Naruto's steps faltered. He grasped the small bento pack nearer to his chest as he approached the playground oval._

_Seated on one of the rusty swings of the oval was a man he had never seen before. The man was dressed in all black – his coat, his loose neck tie, even his shoes were all black. The gloomy color of the man's outfit seemed to complement his distressed surroundings. He just sits there, his gloved hands gripping his knees. His head was lowered, his eyes trained on the sand around his feet. He was like a statue – an unmoving, daunting figure in the middle of nowhere._

_For a long moment, Naruto just stared._

_And then the man looked up. Naruto's sucked in breath hard as their eyes met._

_The man looked so hollow and unreal. His face was so pale – like a ghost. And his eyes were so dark, so hauntingly dark that it almost terrified Naruto. The man's cheeks were lined and a bit sunken. Like he hadn't eaten for days. But it couldn't be possible, Naruto thought. The man appeared so well-off._

_Judging from his features, the man's pure Japanese. He had long black hair which was parted cleanly in the center, the bangs lining both sides of his jaw. His hair was tied loosely at his back with some strands casually resting on his shoulder. Naruto frowned slightly, feeling a pang of jealousy gripping his heart. If he had been blessed with these dark features, maybe he'd been hated less. Maybe… he could have been adopted. Could have felt what it's like to have a family._

_Could have been loved…_

"_U—um." Naruto started. "Are you lost, mister?"_

"…_."_

_The man did not respond. Naruto's frown deepened. __'Maybe he didn't hear me.'_

"_Well if you are," Naruto started again, his voice a bit louder, "you could take the subway train. That'll take you to the city. Do you know where the station is? I can take you there if ya want."_

_Naruto looked up at the skies. "But we should go now, you know. We kinda have a curfew and if I'm not back by night, they'll lock the doors. If that happens, I'll sleep in the bunker again, and it's reaaalllly cold there. I caught a cold just for a night sleeping there." Naruto hugged himself tightly for emphasis as he looked back at the man. "Hey mister, you listening?"_

_The man looked away, not bothering to respond. He leant at his side – against the rusty chains of the swing, and closed his eyes. He looked so tired, Naruto noted, and there's a slight tremor on his shoulders when he breathes._

_Naruto sighed, a bit used to the aloof attitude. He paced towards the seat next to the man and sat. Placing his bento on his lap, Naruto rocked the swing a bit back and forth. He could feel some grains of sand settling between his toes as he moved._

_Finally, with shaky fingers, he opened his small bento box._

"_Hey mister, you hungry?"_

"…_."_

"_I know you can hear me. Don't be such a prick and answer me. It's rude to ignore people, ya know."_

_Still no response. Naruto tried to glare at the other, his lips pressed in a childish scowl._

_The man opened his eyes slowly and stared at Naruto. "It is even more impolite to stare at people."_

_The words were spoken slowly. The voice was deep and calm, the tone almost gentle._

_The sudden reply almost made Naruto drop his chopsticks. He blinked a few times, then pointed a finger at the other. "S-So you can talk! Hah I knew it! Then why do you keep ignoring me then? You know, for a second there, I thought you were, you were… well, never mind…_

…_Oh I'm Naruto, by the way! What's your name?"_

"…_."_

_The man didn't answer and Naruto's grin dropped. He sank further into his seat. It appeared like that the man would not speak again. "I see." He mumbled._

'_Damn. Here we go again.'_

_The blond looked down at his bento. It was just a simple meal – a cup of rice and a serving of vegetables with a few chunks of meat. But it was his. And he bought it with his own money, from the coins he saved for so long. The first thing he had ever bought for himself. At 13, he knew it was no big feat. But he was glad and still felt so pleased with himself._

"_Today…" Naruto started again. "Well today is my birthday."_

"…_."_

"_I turned 13 today." The blond said as he placed half the contents of the bento on the cover of the box, careful not to spill anything. After neatly dividing the contents, he stood up and went towards the man._

_Naruto could feel the man's eyes following him -watching him intently._

_Without hesitation, the blond knelt before the man and grasped his hands. The man's fingers felt so cold and they stiffened when the blond touched them. His long fingers were free of calluses and felt so smooth – very unlike Naruto's which are short and rough. Naruto cupped the hand before looking straight up at the man's eyes. _

_-the man's fingers were cold-cold-cold. Like they were __**dead**_

"_You look hungry, mister. You should eat." Naruto grasped one hand tightly and placed the pair of chopsticks between the man's fingers. "Don't worry. I can eat with my hands. And food tastes better when shared, you know."_

_The man continued to stare at Naruto. The blond stared back. Without breaking eye contact, Naruto gave a toothy smile._

"_Let's eat!"_

_Naruto plopped back to his seat and started eating his food. Even with the lack of utensils, Naruto enjoyed the simple meal._

_For a long while, none of them spoke, each lost in their own thoughts. Naruto did not dare look at the man again, and instead focused his line of sight ahead. It's a little childish but every time he visited the park, he gets a little sentimental._

_Or maybe not a little. He loved this place after all._

"_Itachi."_

"_Eh?"_

_Naruto gaped, a bit confused._

_"My name."_

_The man said, his dark eyes boring deep into Naruto's own. There is a certain glint in them the blond could not identify. _

_A cold wind passed them, making Naruto shiver slightly._

"_Oh. Nice meeting you then… 'Tachi-san." _

* * *

Naruto's eyelids fluttered open.

He blinked a few times, trying to get used to the lighting of the room. A faint whiff of cigarette smoke assailed his nostrils. Blearily, he looked around the unfamiliar place.

From the looks of it, he's in a hotel room. A rather nifty one too, Naruto noted.

He propped himself up slowly as memories from yesterday started creeping in. His body felt so heavy and there's a throbbing ache in his lower regions. As he moved, something sticky and warm dribbled down from his thighs. He didn't need to look to know what that was. Cursing in his mind, he ran his fingers through his hair and swallowed the spit that accumulated in his tongue. _Gah, it tasted awful._

"Good, haha, morning." Naruto mumbled to no one in particular. He clutched his stomach as it gave a low rumble.

"Hn."

The blond gave a reflex smile as he turned to his left.

"Nii-san." Naruto greeted the other.

Itachi was leaning close to the window. He looked distracted as his dark eyes surveyed the streets below. The pale man was topless, revealing a bare chest. But his torso wasn't flawless. There were scars of varying sizes scattered randomly across his stomach and chest. And Naruto could only guess where the scars came from.

"You're hungry." It was not a question, but Naruto nodded all the same. Itachi motioned to the table across the bed. "There is food there. Eat first."

Naruto glanced at the table but he did not move. He looked back at Itachi.

A hazy white blanket of smoke was surrounding the older man. Naruto noticed a blue porcelain ash tray filled to the brim with cigarette butts. It appeared as if the man had smoked for the whole night. For some reason, Naruto frowned.

"How did you find me?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Itachi finally tore his gaze away from the window. He sighed heavily. Then he looked at Naruto.

"I have been following you."

Naruto gawked. "H-Huh? Why? Since when?"

"That is not important." Itachi took another cig and lit it. He brought it to his lips and waited a while before he released the smoke. "I am not the only one following you. Vice Minister Danzo has you under surveillance as well."

"D-Danzo?" Naruto muttered in one breath. His eyes widened as the name registered in his head. Naruto bit his lip hard. Fuck, _he knew it. _

Naruto had met the man even before his adoption to the Uchiha family. The old geezer was the only one who _knew_ of his past—the only one he assumed would have access to his files. There's no doubt about it now. Danzo was the one who gave the Hyuugas the files. It made a lot of sense since Danzo was a known political opponent of Fugaku, his adoptive father. Suffice to say, the old man will do anything to eradicate his rivals. _And Naruto is the key to the Uchiha's downfall._

Naruto gripped the bed sheets, feeling a mixture of anger and guilt pervading his system. _'And now, the Hyuuga has it. And they'll do anything…' _

"I'm so stupid. I should've known. I should've…" Naruto buried his face in his hands.

"Have you been in any contact with him?" Itachi asked.

Naruto shook his head. "No. We haven't." The blond paused, trying to remember anything. "We've never… I mean, I've seen him a couple of times in the news. But in person, I've only seen him once. We've never actually talked since…"

_-since the incident._

"Since that time when he just…"

_-ha—haha. _

Naruto's lips curved into a sneer as a realization finally dawned on him. "He'll use me."

Itachi's gaze was solemn. "Naruto-kun."

"He'll _fucking_ use me again, is that it?"

"…."

Naruto laughed. It was hollow and fake, and there's sadness in his eyes. He looked back at Itachi. "And you knew. You knew it all along."

It was not a question, or an accusation. The older man stared back at Naruto, the half-burnt cigarette left dangling between his fingers. The tiny bits of ashes slowly fell to the ground. The expression on Itachi's face was pensive, but he did not answer.

"That's why you were following me. You've been planning to tell me." Naruto continued. "And here I thought you just missed me." The blond gave another humourless chuckle. His lips quivered and something burned in his eyes. He refused to admit they're tears.

"I'm never going back there, am I?" Naruto asked, though he already knew the answer. The tone of his voice was almost pitiful and he looked away from Itachi.

'_I'll really never see them again.'_

For a long while, Itachi merely watched Naruto. Neither spoke, each lost in their own thoughts.

Then, Itachi nodded and looked back at the window.

"Tomorrow at noon, we are leaving the country." The raven stubbed out his cigarette in the overflowing ashtray.

"And we are never going back."

* * *

Politics is a game of the immortals, they say. It is the art of ruthless compromise, of endless bargaining and persuasions. It is about controlling the game, manipulating all key players and exterminating those in the way. It is about taking the high seat of command. Thus, it is about power.

_It is solely about power._

And Uchiha Fugaku knew this too well. He'd been a key player of this area for most of his life.

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Finance, Fugaku was a member of the Diet, Japan's national legislature. His first taste of the political life started when he was elected to represent Chiba's Lower House District in the Kanto region. Chiba was one of Japan's most prolific industrial areas, which made Fugaku quite well-known among his peers. Initially belonging to a small (now-defunct) party, Fugaku later joined the DPJ, Japan's biggest party and served as its affairs chief for almost a decade. From then on, Fugaku started expanding his political connections and territorial power.

After the mysterious death of the senior vice finance minister of the DPJ, Fugaku was chosen to replace him. The replacement however was plagued with controversy and had drawn much ire even from the members of his party. But Fugaku was unabated. He ignored all the negative issues regarding him and worked more seriously in his craft. Two years later, he was appointed as Minister of Finance by the Prime Minister himself. Having a free rein on Japan's economy further solidified his status as one of the country's most powerful man.

But the daunting figure of Uchiha Fugaku almost crumbled when his wife, Mikoto died. It was an unfortunate event as the cause of death was allegedly unnatural.

And the act was perpetrated by one of Fugaku's sons, _Uchiha Itachi._

Uchiha Mikoto was known to be suffering from a serious illness, later disclosed to the media as the late stages of ovarian cancer. She had been in and out of the country for her medications and treatment. For years, she had bravely battled the sickness, her once strong body going frailer and weaker as days pass. But her family, especially Fugaku never wavered. Even if her body had deteriorated to a significant degree due to multiple organ failures and she had fallen into a comatose, Uchiha Fugaku had never given up.

He could never let go. The patriarch of the Uchiha family remained unyielding.

But even then, the inevitable still happened. Uchiha Mikoto died.

It was the afternoon of October 10th.

Uchiha Itachi had pulled the plug – causing his mother's death. At that same day, the oldest son disappeared without a trace. He will not be seen again for years to come.

As expected, the news spread like wild fire. Dubbing the incidence as the "Uchiha Tragedy", the news had become a national concern and for months, had been the center of many discussions and debates.

And it was not just because of Mikoto's death.

The discussions had also centered on one Uchiha Itachi. Known as the family's prodigy, Uchiha Itachi was the perfect son. He was an extremely gifted child and excelled in so many areas, whether it is academics or sports. He had earned so many awards both locally and internationally. Suffice to say, his records are flawless. But that was not the only thing that made him a bankable public figure.

Even at such a young age, the young man was exposed to the grueling mechanics and processes of politics. He was known as Fugaku's "little subordinate" and was given the rare opportunity to accompany his father during crucial meetings. He was introduced to many prominent personalities and because of that, he had been able to establish his own connections. Bit by bit, he has amassed his own power and influence, helping his father along the way. It did not take long before the father and son pair became a compelling force in the political scene.

But of course, everything changed when the _tragedy _struck.

The media feasted on the news like hungry vultures, and the Uchiha reputation was left in shambles.

The search for the wayward son had become a national phenomenon. Even the investigation efforts had extended for months, with different groups obsessing over the case.

But all of these efforts proved useless as Uchiha Itachi was never seen again. Not a single soul had forwarded hints on the young man's whereabouts. Soon the people lost interest and eventually gave up. Though the incidence remained well known, the impact of the Uchiha tragedy gradually faded over the years. The people rarely talked about it anymore and the gossips dissipated as time passed.

But the stigma of the tragedy never really left the Uchiha clan. Fugaku's political career was put into stagnancy. The patriarch was in danger of losing his position – and his influence. Most of his peers have lost trust in him and the people's support has started to wane. Through all these, Fugaku refused to yield. Politics is a ruthless game. It is not meant for the fools and the weak-hearted, and Fugaku was neither.

And he is smart. He knows that the only way to rebuild his status was to gain back the trust of the people.

And Uchiha Sasuke was the key.

Uchiha Sasuke was the second son, and by no means less perfect than his older brother. Sasuke is comparable to Itachi in many ways. Both of them are known prodigies, excelling in so many areas others could only dream of. Proud carriers of the Uchiha gene, they are the best in their own fields. But instead of getting the resentment of most, the two brothers earned the respect and admiration of the people. Suffice to say, the two brothers were the exemplars of their generation. Both of them bask in the same limelight as their father.

But wherein Itachi has the gentleness and sensitivity of their mother, Sasuke was the ruthless archetype of their father. He spoke less and never socialized. He preferred being alone and unlike Itachi, he was never fond of dealing with people. He _never liked_ people.

Sasuke shared the same idealism as his father. He favors extortion over compromise; control over persuasion. For him, politics is all about winning. He sees people as mere tools for a greater goal – and manipulated them accordingly.

And so, when his father proposed a new project, Sasuke did not think twice and seized it.

Six months after Mikoto's death, Fugaku allotted a huge proportion of his own funds to start a foundation. Known as _The Center, _it was a charity-based foundation for the benefits of the underprivileged. Anyone who is unemployed, an orphan, or is under the poverty threshold is aided by the Center. They will receive financial and livelihood assistance, even scholarships. As expected, the proposal was immensely criticized. Most of Fugaku's political allies and opponents were shocked, to say the least. None them could have expected the bold move since the man was known as a staunch fiscal conservative. They would have never pegged him as someone who will just give money for charity. Especially for _charity_.

But the project prevailed. Amidst all opposition.

Analysts would claim that the success of the project was due to its excellent timing. Japan had suffered a huge blow when the world market crashed due to the unprecedented recession. Many people were then left unemployed and debt-ridden. Crime and suicide rates have increased significantly – leaving many parentless children in the streets.

The Center succeeded in providing hope for these people.

With its success, the Center was able to branch-out nationwide. Fugaku then appointed his youngest son to be the supervisor of all the branches. For someone so young, it was a huge responsibility but Sasuke was brilliant. He was able to prove himself as an effective director. Like Itachi, he has been able to establish his own name and influence through his unceasing, admirable efforts to improve the foundation. His subordinates regard him as an extremely cold-hearted and devious superior, but to everyone else, especially those that he had helped, Uchiha Sasuke was their savior.

It did not take long before the Uchiha reputation started gaining ground again. The trust and satisfaction ratings were remarkable. People are starting to trust the government again. Japan's economy has never been better. Uchiha Fugaku was very pleased.

But the efforts did not end there.

To further solidify the status of the Center, the Uchiha family adopted _Uzumaki Naruto._

Uzumaki Naruto's an orphan since birth, with no known background. He was never adopted mainly because of his _gaijin _(foreigner) appearance. At that time, people have negative assumptions regarding foreigners and/or immigrants. But the Uchiha family proved that they had no such biases.

Naruto had been introduced to the Center at age 15 and within a few weeks, his adoption papers had been finalized. The adoption process has been abnormally fast—courtesy of Uchiha Sasuke himself.

.

And now, two years later, Uchiha Fugaku had finally achieved his life-long dream.

Due to his insurmountable popularity, Fugaku had effortlessly won the run-off vote in the leadership election in his party, beating his old-time political opponent, Shimura Danzo. It was a prime ministerial-slot. So is to say, the patriarch of the Uchiha family is now the Prime Minister of Japan. For years, he had tirelessly vied for the position and now, he finally had it. The highest civil command in Japan.

Fugaku leaned back on his seat. He brought the glass of wine to his lips and inhaled the aroma first before sipping it slowly. The bottle was ten million apiece but it was definitely worth it. The taste was refined and delicious, and Fugaku was convinced he deserved every drop of the expensive drink.

A week from now, he will be formally appointed by the Emperor. But before that, his inauguration party would be celebrated tonight. He had left the planning and arrangements to his son, confident that everything would be perfect.

A familiar-sounding knock to his door interrupted his musings. He brought the glass down.

"Come in."

Sasuke stepped into the room. The youngest Uchiha nodded curtly before proceeding to the chair across his father's table. He sat down, back straight and legs crossed over the other. His father's eyes did not leave him and Sasuke was aware of it. But he did not say anything. It was customary to stay silent until given permission to speak.

Neither spoke for a while.

Fugaku then cleared his throat and faced his son fully. At the young age of 17, Uchiha Sasuke already looked like a man – too mature and experienced for his age.

"How was the operation?"

Sasuke's lips curved slightly upwards, clearly expecting the lack of pleasantries when it came to the older man.

"It has gone well, Father. Rest assured, they will not bother us again."

"Hm." Fugaku assumed a more relaxed stance. The reply had satisfied him greatly. As always, Sasuke did a great job. His son's executions had always been impeccable.

The chair creaked as Fugaku stood up slowly. He opened a cabinet and brought another glass. He poured wine into the new glass and gave it to Sasuke. It was Fugaku's way of saying "well-done" and Sasuke was aware of this. The other did not have to voice it.

They raised their glasses together.

Sasuke drank his fill in one gulp and licked his lips after.

"About the party. How has the preparations been going?"

"Good. You don't have to worry about anything." Sasuke stated in monotone. "Anything else, Father?"

Fugaku shook his head. "That is all. You can leave now."

The younger Uchiha stood up and nodded to the older man. He paced towards the door and grasped the handle. But before he could open it, his father asked.

"Where is Naruto-kun by the way? I have not seen him since yesterday."

Sasuke's grip of the handle tightened. His back still turned, he did not answer.

Fugaku sighed deeply at the lack of response. He knew of the boys' ongoing rivalry and he had a feeling that the two boys have fought again. Though they seemed awfully close, their clashes had always been very personal… and intense. But he supposed this is normal. They are brothers after all. And Uzumaki Naruto was the only person Sasuke could tolerate. No one else can get close… a feat even Itachi has failed to achieve.

"Fine. You two have your issues and I understand that." Fugaku paused, then he continued. "Just don't let your younger brother cause any ruckus for tonight. I don't want making tomorrow headlines for… unnecessary reasons."

Sasuke turned his face slightly to face his father. He nodded curtly as a response and left the room without a word.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi hated his job.

But he's incredibly good at it. No one could argue with that. He had been serving the Uchiha family for more than a decade. And that should mean something. The Uchiha had been known as an extremely private and close-knit clan. All of their employees were hand-picked, down to the lowest aide. They do not give trust that easily. One must earn it.

And Hatake Kakashi was one of the very lucky few who have achieved this.

The man walked casually through the second-floor hallway of the Uchiha Manor, both hands shoved deep inside his pockets. More than half of his face was hidden beneath a dark cloth mask which extended all the way to his neck. Many had speculated that he wore a mask to conceal his identity. Others assumed that it's due to a disfiguration on the face. Kakashi never really commented on either of that.

In the eyes of the public, Kakashi was just one of Sasuke's bodyguards. But it was far from that actually.

Kakashi had been Sasuke's fighting instructor when the latter was just a kid. For years, he had taught the youngest Uchiha various martial arts techniques for self-defense and physical combat. The Uchiha learned quickly and it didn't take long before he became fully adept at hand-to-hand combat. Along with that, Kakashi has also taught Sasuke basic weapon usage and assemblage. Sasuke favored his _katana_ over the other weapons and have religiously practiced with it every morning.

Sasuke's fighting style is brutal, Kakashi noted. The youngest Uchiha's movements were fast and exact but they were not meant to only defend. They were always meant to attack. And not just to hurt either. Sasuke's strikes were always aiming _to kill_.

That's why Kakashi was not at all surprised when his coldhearted student approached him one day to demand a new lesson. The art of _torture. _

At first, he refused—as it wasn't obviously something a responsible adult should teach a mere 13-year old. It was immoral, to say the least. But some circumstances have forced him in the end. He was left with no choice. He should not have underestimated the child. No matter the means, Uchiha Sasuke always gets what he wants.

Kakashi stopped in front of a door. He knocked a few times before going in.

"You're late." Sasuke's eyes were as cold as steel as they stared him down. If Kakashi was a lesser man, he could have crumbled at the sight.

"Well you see…"

"Shut it, Kakashi. I am not interested in your excuses."

The older man pursed his lips. It seems like the Uchiha's not in the best of mood. _Typical._

"Did you get it?"

Kakashi nodded and produced a small CD from his pocket. "Here." He tossed the CD to the raven. Sasuke caught it deftly between his two fingers.

"You might want to try that out first. I haven't checked it—"

"No need." Sasuke dismissed, placing the CD inside his breast pocket. "The documents?"

"I burned them, just like what you instructed."

"Did you check for back-up copies?"

"Well, I don't really have the time to bug all the computers so I put them all in one room… and watch fireworks fly." Kakashi cracked a grin, seemingly amused. But it went unnoticed, as Sasuke's expression became more sober.

"What about the package?"

Kakashi's smile dropped and there was no longer humor in his eyes. "I just delivered it."

"…." Sasuke nodded and leaned back in his chair. The Uchiha looked contemplative as his eyes focused on the ceiling.

"Anything else, Uchiha-dono?"

The younger man did not move nor showed any signs that he heard the other. For a few minutes, both of them stayed silent. After a while, the Uchiha spoke, his gaze still fixed on the ceiling. "I have one more job for you."

Kakashi breathed in deeply. He knew what will come next. He is, after all, not just Uchiha Sasuke's fighting instructor. Hatake Kakashi is Sasuke's personal dispatcher.

"What is it?"

"…Hyuuga." The voice grew colder, the tone more menacing. "I want him to stay out of my affairs _permanently_."

Kakashi clenched his fists. He then nodded, frowning behind his mask. _He really, really hates his job. _

"Consider it done, Uchiha-dono."

And he left.

* * *

As expected, the Uchiha Manor was teeming with people. Luxury cars were lining the entrance of the grand complex, with the line extending all the way to the main gates and to the streets. This must be the reason why even the main road had been closed off for the night, Naruto thought. Even with the grandness of the entire Uchiha lawn, the place is still jam-packed. The manor servants were scattered everywhere, some of them running to and fro to usher the guests. It would be a terribly, terribly busy night.

From his hiding place, Naruto bit his thumb, his brows creasing. There were just way too many people tonight. It would be a miracle to sneak in unnoticed. Of course, there's that tempting thought to just go in through the front door. Even without the formal invitation, he could still enter without a problem. He's a member of the family after all. The security would immediately allow him inside, no questions asked.

But he couldn't risk that.

The place was practically filled with security cameras, not to mention, Sasuke's _minions_. The chances of him going inside unnoticed by Sasuke's aides were really slim. The bastard would have most certainly sniffed his presence the moment he walked in. So much for the grand entrance, Naruto sighed.

Of course there's a big possibility that Sasuke would probably just ignore his presence. With this amount of people, his brother would be busy for the whole night. A grin tugged at the blond's lips. He knew how Sasuke hated such festivities. More so, the bastard hated people. Socializing had never been the Uchiha's forte.

Naruto pointed his flashlight at his watch. It was close to 9 pm. The blond scanned the area again. Everything's too dark from where he's hiding. But that's fine actually. He had been living in the manor for two years. He knew all the rooms and hiding places and by now, can proudly say that he could walk around the whole area blindfolded. Getting lost would not be a problem. The difficulty lay in stealth though.

"_Do not go in the lobby. Most cameras are in there."_

"_Hai..."_

"_Just go straight to your room. Get your things and leave. Do not talk to anyone. And no side trips. Do you understand?"_

_Naruto nodded, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. "Yeah mom. What else?"_

"_Naruto-kun, listen." Itachi looked him in the eye and grasped the blond's shoulders. The hold was firm and Itachi's hands felt so cold. Vaguely, Naruto remembered the time when they first met. The same cold fingers. The same serious expression. Itachi's dark eyes looked so grim. _

"_Whatever you do, whatever happens. Do not let him see you."_

_Naruto felt a twist in his stomach. He wanted to say something but the words died in his throat. He just nodded._

"_..."_

"_...If that ever happens, if he ever sees you, leave immediately. Don't," Itachi's grip tightened, his face loomed in closer, "don't make eye contact. Do __**not **__talk to him. Go the other way. Just… run."_

_Run. _

Itachi's words echoed in his ears, the deep, solemn voice imprinted in Naruto's mind. The blond clucked his tongue, finding the idea a bit ridiculous. How could you possibly run in this place? With the whole complex filled with guards, it's basically impossible. And what's the big deal, anyway? Sasuke's a full-blown, arrogant bastard but he isn't that bad. He's just... well, Sasuke. They will fight most probably. But that would be it, and Sasuke would go back to his original asshole-self.

Naruto fixed his tie and straightened his dark blazer. He hoped his dark outfit would help him blend in the crowd. He took out a small, grey bonnet from his pouch and covered his head. He needed to hide his hair. In a room full of dark-haired people, his blond locks would surely stand out.

Naruto breathed deeply a few times, replaying the plan in his head. After a while, he then started to make his way along the edges of the manor. It was really dark and Naruto resisted the urge to use his flashlight, less someone might notice the odd glow. From where he was, he could hear the muffled conversations and cheering of the people inside. Then an applause. Someone must have given a speech.

Naruto opened the backdoor silently, thankful that it isn't locked. He then proceeded inside, quickly surveying the area. The backdoor connects to the maid quarters and to the kitchen. Of course, the quarters were currently unoccupied, but the kitchen was a whole different story. The kitchen was filled with people, most of whom Naruto recognized. They were the helpers and the attendants of the mansion. The blond bit his lower lip. This is going to be a challenge.

Lowering his head, he strode past the many people as fast as he could. He bumped on some of them but he didn't dare look back, only muttering a quick apology and continuing on his way. Once he exited the kitchen, he passed two dinner rooms and scaled the side staircase to go to the second floor. That's where his room was. It would be faster to use the grand staircase in the lobby, but Naruto was not allowed to go there.

As opposed to the first floor, the second-floor hallway was oddly empty. Naruto looked up and immediately spied two security cameras attached to the ceiling, one directly pointed at him.

'_Act casual.' _He whispered to himself as he started walking, his steps slow and quiet. He could feel the camera following his move. A bead of sweat travelled down his spine. He swallowed hard, goose bumps forming on his arms.

_He did not like being watched. _

Once he reached his room, Naruto quickly went inside and closed the door immediately. It was only after he locked the door that he was able to release the breath he was holding and collapsed right on the floor. He put his hand on his chest and tried to steady his breathing. Loud, erratic heartbeats pounded in his ears. _'Damn, that was scary.'_ He almost pissed himself right there.

After calming himself, Naruto turned on the lights and looked around the room.

A small smile graced his face as he felt a little pleased to observe that nothing had changed. The room was as chaotic and messy as the day he left, which was almost three days ago. His clothes lay haphazardly on the floor. His bed sheets were crumpled, his pillows and books scattered everywhere. And was that a bowl of noodles on his bed? And damn, his laptop is still plugged on. Naruto sighed. Some things never changed. He was quite thankful that he at least bothered to turn off the television.

He walked past the bed and crouched down to reach the small drawer beneath. If memory served him right, this was where he kept his personal documents. And true enough, underneath all the _crap_ (files he never bothered to read), he found what he's looking for. He grabbed his pouch and put the documents in.

As he stood up, a slip of paper fell down. He glanced at the fallen paper and was surprised to see that it's a picture. He picked it up.

'_Ah. This is…' _

Naruto's heart gave a mild flip. He remembered this picture. It was his…

_His first family picture._

The picture was in black and white. It was taken by Kakashi using Naruto's old Polaroid camera. He remembered forcing the two Uchihas to join him. Actually, he just dragged Sasuke into Fugaku's office. He was lucky that his adopted father was in his office at that time. It was extremely rare to find him at home.

In the picture, only Naruto was smiling, one hand forming peace sign as his other arm latched on to his older brother's. The Uchihas however seemed to be scowling. Fugaku was not even looking at the camera while Sasuke seemed to be glaring directly at Kakashi. _Ah, happy times. _Naruto smiled, feeling a pang of nostalgia creeping in. This was one of the best moments of his life. He had always, always wished for this… a family that will accept and love him.

_And now…_

Naruto gripped the edge of the picture.

…_he couldn't even say goodbye. _

This may be the last time he'll set foot in this house. And he may never see them again.

"Gods," Naruto cursed in his head. Tears welled up in his eyes but he wiped them away even before they could fall. He pressed his lips together, a determined glint shining in his eyes. He had made his decision. This is his family and he will protect them at whatever cost. This is the least he could do for them.

His cell phone rang and vibrated in his pocket. Naruto slid the picture in his pouch and answered the call.

"_Where are you?"_

The familiar, smooth voice of Itachi streamed through the receiver. Naruto looked at his watch. _Damn, he's so late._

The blond gave an awkward chuckle. "Itachi! Haha. Sorry, been held up. You wouldn't believe how many people are here right now. It took me a long time to get in my room. But don't worry. Got what I need now." Naruto looked at his watch again. "Just wait for me, okay? I will be there at…"

An audible click from behind him alerted Naruto. The blond turned around promptly as the door opened. _'Ah. Shit.'_ Naruto felt his heart literally stop in his chest.

"_Naruto-kun?"_

"S-sorry, 'Tachi." Naruto whispered into the phone, lowering his phone slowly. "Will call you back later."

"_Naruto-!"_

The blond snapped the phone shut.

Uchiha Sasuke stepped further into the room, keys dangling from his elegant fingers. The raven surveyed the room, his eyes skimming on everything but Naruto. His face was passive as he looked around, mouth pressed in a thin line. One pale hand moved to the knob and pressed the lock. The soft click echoed in the room.

Sasuke's obsidian eyes finally rested on Naruto's.

And then, his pale lips moved.

"Good evening, _otouto._"

* * *

_There were a lot of things he feared. Things he would have nightmares about for days. He feared heights, and blood, and gory things. He feared being watched, being locked up, being cornered. Naruto feared a lot of things._

_But most of all, __**most of all**__, he feared fire._

_He watched as the dark angry flames of fire consumed everything. He watched as the wooden pillars of the makeshift house go down one by one; as grey ashes flew to the wind and fell down to the snow-covered ground. He tried to run towards it, but he was stopped, big, meaty hands gripping his arms. He was forced to kneel. The billowing smoke stung his eyes and tears fell from his face. He cried, shouting at the top of his lungs…_

…_as he watched the __**bastard**__… burn his house to the ground._

* * *

The pale man loosened his tie, tugging it downward a couple of inches. Sasuke unclasped the top buttons of his polo as he made casual steps forward. Head slightly tilted, the Uchiha's gaze focused on Naruto.

Naruto stepped back. He gently slid the phone in his pants pocket.

"Don't you have anything to say to me, Naruto?"

The blond blinked. He opened his mouth, but there was nothing. He then cleared his throat, forcing his mouth to speak. "Uh… Nice party." Naruto gave a nervous grin. He dropped it soon after as the Uchiha's eyes continue to bore into his own. He cleared his throat again and looked away.

"Look _teme._" The blond raised his hands; his voice a little louder. "I know you don't want me here. And believe me, I don't wanna be here either. It's just that I've to get some of my stuff…" Naruto patted his pouch. "And now I got them, see? So if you'll excuse me, I'll be out of your hair now."

"…."

Receiving no response, Naruto made a tentative side-step. He then started walking forward, his eyes trained on the floor.

With one fluid movement, Sasuke blocked his way, the tips of their shoes almost touching. The raven loomed in closer and Naruto resisted the urge to step back again.

"And where are you going?"

"I-It's none of your business." Slowly, Naruto lifted his eyes and finally looked at Sasuke. Defiant blue eyes meet obsidian. "And what do you care? You kicked me out, remember?"

Immediately, Naruto regretted the words. He shouldn't have said that. It implied a memory that's… _not so good._

But Sasuke's expression did not change –as if he did not hear the snide comment. There were no reactions at all from his brother, and instead of feeling relieved, this made Naruto more uneasy.

_**-something's wrong.**_

The blond's cell phone started ringing again.

"…Are you not going to answer that?"

The smooth, baritone voice of the Uchiha registered in his ears. Without breaking eye contact, Naruto took his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. But before he could bring it to his ears, Sasuke grabbed his wrist and held it tightly.

"Ouch. Hey!"

With a slackened hold, Sasuke took the phone away from the blond and answered it himself.

"Who is this?"

Sasuke's voice was chilling. The raven's expression has immediately hardened, making Naruto shiver. "Who are you?" The raven repeated.

'_Fuck. Itachi don't answer.'_ Naruto looked at the phone with wide eyes, his heart beating a mile a minute. He couldn't breathe, panic flooding his system. _'Don't fucking answer.'_

There was a pause. Then Sasuke removed the phone from his ears. The raven stared at the phone in his hand, a wild look in his eyes. Then without any warning, he crushed the phone between his fingers. Naruto heard a soft crunching sound before the Uchiha tossed the phone violently to the wall. There was a resounding crack as the phone collided with the wall and the broken pieces fell to the floor. Naruto was rendered speechless.

"Tell me who the _fuck _is that." Sasuke demanded.

Naruto did not answer. He _couldn't. _His gaze still fixed on the wall, a sudden feeling of _fear_ gripping his heart.

_**-Don't talk to him. Don't make eye contact. Walk the other way. Leave immediately...**_

One pale hand grabbed the blond's jaw and forced their faces closer.

"Is that Hyuuga?" Sasuke's eyes were livid and with the proximity, Naruto could feel the other's warm breaths bouncing off his face. It smelt of alcohol too. "Answer me, Naruto."

_**-Just… run.**_

Naruto's knees felt awfully weak. He could barely stand up. The blond raised his shaking hands and planted them on the raven's chest. He tried to push the other away. "L-Let me go _teme._"

But the raven did not let go. His grip on the blond's jaw tightened even more, fingers digging into Naruto's face. "Is he bothering you?" The raven asked.

"No…" Naruto shut his eyes. _Gods,_ this isn't happening. This isn't Sasuke. This isn't his brother. They have fought so many times, but nothing like this. Nothing like this at all. "I said, let me go." He muttered weakly.

"Let me go, Sasuke."

Finally, Sasuke loosened his hold until he let go completely. But he did not pull away. He maintained his distance, his gaze still fixed on Naruto.

The blond however, looked away and made small, cautious steps backwards. He didn't get far though as Sasuke pursued him again and engulfed him in a tight embrace. Naruto was too stunned to move.

"You don't have to worry about anything, Naruto." Sasuke whispered in his ears. The raven's arms pressed more to his back, pulling Naruto closer. "I will make sure that he won't bother you again."

'_Eh. What are you…?'_

"Before this day ends, Hyuuga will be taken care of."

'_Wait, what?'_

It took Naruto a few seconds to make sense of what his brother said. Once it did, Naruto pulled away immediately. He looked at Sasuke with disbelief in his eyes. "Hyuuga will be taken care of? What the hell do you mean by that? Are you…" Naruto swallowed hard. "Are you going to kill him?"

"…."

The silence that greeted him was enough to make Naruto think of the worst.

"What… Are you serious? That's Neji, Sasuke! Are you… are you _fucking _insane?"

Sasuke's brows creased. His hands balled into fists and his shoulders shook. "Why Naruto? Why do you care so much about him? Are you in a relationship with him?"

Naruto gawked. "What? Fuck no. Of course not. He's our classmate, you bastard! What's gotten into you? What the hell's **wrong** with you?"

Sasuke approached him again. "I'm just trying to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"You don't know these people, Naruto. You don't know what they are capable of."

Naruto felt the words stab his heart. It was as if a razor has sliced through his chest. Those words… _should be meant for him. _

"No…" The blond shook his head. "No Sasuke. You're wrong."

'_It is you who don't know who I am. It's you who don't know what I'm capable of.'_

Naruto stepped back again but the raven followed him. Slowly, Sasuke lifted his hands and cupped the blond's face gently.

"Don't do this, Sasuke." Naruto said as tears stream down his eyes. "You don't… you don't know anything."

'_You don't know who I am.'_

The raven did not say anything and instead closed the gap between their faces. Their foreheads touched. Sasuke's skin felt warm. And the ache that grips Naruto's heart tightened its hold even more.

_**-your lies pile up. You lie. Lie. Lie. What kind of monster are you?**_

"I told you before… that I love you."

"Stop."

"Naruto, look at me."

"No." The blond kept his gaze below, tears still dripping down his face. But his voice did not waver. "Stop this."

Naruto felt the hold tightened around his face. "Why?" Frustration laced Sasuke's voice. The Uchiha's face was filled with hurt. And Naruto... almost pitied him.

"You don't know who I am, Sasuke."

'_I can destroy you. You and your family. I'll... ruin everything.'_

"_Fucking_ stop that Naruto. I **know** who you are. And I don't ca—"

"I **fucked **your brother!" Naruto shouted. He tore his gaze away from the floor and looked directly at Sasuke. "I…" He swallowed hard.

And despite the ache in his chest and the tearsthat continue to flow down his face, Naruto forced a sneer. His lips quivered. The sneer was a lie. It was strained and it was awfully fake. And it took Naruto all the strength he could muster just to keep it on his face.

He gave a raspy chuckle. "You say you know who I am. Well then, do you know this one thing, Sasuke?" Naruto tilted his face, eyes narrowing into slits. He approached his stunned brother and whispered into his ears. "I fucked the person who killed your mom...

...I slept with Itachi."

Naruto licked his lips, ignoring the painful, painful clench in his chest. "And you know what, it was the best _fuck_ I ever had—"

_**-monster. You are a...**_

_**Monster.**_

"!"

The words die in his throat as something extremely hard hit his gut. Naruto coughed a spit as he clutched his stomach and doubled over. He tasted blood in his mouth and felt his knees tremble. His world tilted... and he was falling.

The last thing he saw was an arm bracing his side as his vision slowly dimmed...

...and then everything went black.

* * *

A static. He's hearing some kind of static.

'_No, wait. That's not...'_

Those are muffled voices in the background. But he couldn't make out any of the words. The volume was too low. Vaguely, he noticed that one side of his face was pressed against a soft material. It must be a pillow and he was in a lying position too. Everything felt so damn soft and the smell was distinctly familiar. It must be his bed.

_But something felt wrong._

Naruto moved his legs a bit, assuming a more relaxed position. He pressed his body further to the bed, but felt something restraining one of his hands. He pulled his left wrist and felt something hard and cold gripped it; the smooth surface of something metallic scuffing his skin.

"Eh?" Naruto opened his eyes. The room was quite dark as the lights were turned off. But there's a glow somewhere in the room, mildly illuminating the area.

'_Is it the TV?'_

Straining his eyes, he focused his blurry vision on his left hand—and true enough, his left wrist was handcuffed securely to the wooden headboard of the bed."What the..." There was a brief moment of realization before Naruto immediately shot up in bed. The blond sucked in breath hard, his eyes widening. "...hell?"

Then he heard a scream. The blond immediately turned towards the sound. It was from the television.

Naruto couldn't make out the whole image at first. Narrowing his eyes, all he could see was a man seated in the centre. A single light bulb on top of the man was the only thing making him visible. The shadows surrounding him were indistinguishable.

The man seemed to be old. He's wearing multiple layers of white and black robes and he was hunched over. His hands were not visible and Naruto could only assume that they were tied behind his back. His clothes were crumpled, with some patches of dark crimson scattered everywhere. Although Naruto could not hear it, the man seemed to be breathing heavily—panting. And his face... his face was filled with dark, angry bruises... and blood.

_There was blood everywhere._

Naruto shuddered. _'Is this... a show? What kind of sick-?'_

"You might recognize him. That man is Danzo."

The words were uttered slowly and softly. It was Sasuke's voice.

It was then that Naruto finally noticed him. The raven is sitting on one of the sofa chairs of the room, facing the television. His dark blazer and ties were already discarded. The man was only wearing his pristine white polo. All of the buttons were undone, exposing his toned chest and stomach.

Sasuke himself was not even looking at the wide screen. His gaze was fixed at the glass of wine clasped between his fingers. Naruto noticed that there were two empty bottles of wine beside him.

"D-Danzo?" The blond repeated the name—as if he couldn't believe it. "Why is he there? How?"

"..."

The Uchiha did not answer. Instead he brought the wine to his lips and drank it.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. "Why is he there? What do you think you're doing? He's bleeding, dammit! H-He might die."

The Uchiha licked his lips slowly. "He deserves it."

"What? What the hell, Sasuke! Are you seriously out of your mind?" Naruto tried to stand up but he was pulled back again to the bed. The blond tugged the cuffs as hard as he could, but the board would not even budge. With the force he's pulling, he could already feel bruises forming on his skin, but it was utterly useless. "Release me right now, you bastard."

"No, Naruto." The extremely low volume of the raven's voice was unsettling. And as Sasuke finally looked at Naruto, the blond failed to suppress a shiver. Sasuke's eyes were narrowed into slits. The endless pools of black were filled with threat and madness. Not a single hint of remorse. _They were unforgiving._

"You should enjoy the show."

It was as if Naruto's heart descended into his stomach. He couldn't believe what's happening. _This isn't Sasuke. _

"Enjoy? _Teme, _what the _fucking _hell is wrong with you—"

The old man in the screen gave another agonizing scream, and Naruto looked away.

"Y-You're sick." The blond hissed.

Sasuke's lips slowly curved into a smile. "Am I, Naruto?" The voice was still smooth but the tone sounded sceptic, almost mocking. "...Am I the one who's _**sick**_ here?"

The air suddenly became stifling. Naruto did not say anything as he continued to watch Sasuke.

The Uchiha started to roll the glass in his hand. The red, thick liquid inside followed the swaying movement. For the briefest moment, Naruto was mesmerized with the slow movement. And then, without any warning, the raven tightened his hold—and broke the glass in his hand. The liquid spilled down to his elbow and dripped down to the floor. Some of shards of the glass have pierced Sasuke's skin but his expression did not change. His eyes were still fixed on Naruto's.

"I told you Naruto...

...I know everything about you. _Everything._"

Sasuke pressed a button on the remote control and the horrible image of Danzo's torment was wiped out from the screen. Another CD was entered into the DVD player and there was a faint whirring sound as the contents were processed.

"I know your little _deal _with the Hyuuga." Sasuke's tone was filled with disdain. "And I am aware of Danzo's blackmail."

Naruto unconsciously gripped the bed sheets and backed away as Sasuke slowly stood up from his chair. The man's face was slightly flushed due to alcohol and he struggled to stand up straight, but his eyes remained focused.

Blurred images started to appear in the screen.

"And most importantly, I know what the blackmail is all about." The Uchiha paced towards Naruto, his steps languid and careful. Gradually, the expression on his face softened. It almost looked gentle, as if soothing a wild animal. "I know about your past, _otouto_."

"What…?" The blond asked breathlessly.

And as if on cue, the images on the screen start to clear.

Naruto hesitantly took his gaze away from Sasuke. He refocused his line of sight on the scenes being played out on the screen. At first, he couldn't recognize the setting. The CD was showing contents from some sort of a spy camera and the angle was slightly tilted. It seemed like the contents were taken from an expensive-looking private room. The interior and all the furniture looked elegant and expensive...

An old man with only a towel wrapped around his bulging waist appeared in the cam. His body was dripping wet. It appeared like he had just gotten out of the shower and was unaware of the camera pointed at him.

Naruto squinted his eyes. _'This man looks familiar.' _As the man moved sideways, the blond noticed a very familiar tattoo imprinted on his arm. It resembled a cloud in shape.

And that's when it hit him.

_He knew._

"No… Oh god, no."

Naruto shook his head, his breaths becoming strained and harried. "No… no…" He realized with growing horror what will happen next. But he couldn't take his eyes away.

Another man appeared in the scene. He was dragging an almost lifeless boy in his arms. The boy had blond hair, and he had bruises all over his body. His legs were bent. He could barely stand up. _And he was wearing nothing._

The two men seemed to talk for a while, before the younger man released his hold on the boy and left without so much of a glance. The boy immediately collapsed on the floor, his body exhibiting some slight tremors. It was obvious that he was still very much awake though his body appeared so frail and exhausted. Slowly, the boy hugged his body, assuming a fetus position. But his body still shook and his fingers tremble.

The old man loomed over the boy…

"Naruto."

Sasuke paused as his knees met the side of the mattress. There was no response. The blond continued to stare at the screen with wide eyes. "Naruto…" He called again as he climbed slowly on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly due to the added weight.

"..."

And then there were screams.

Painful, agonizing screams of a child filled the room.

_-blood. there's blood everywhere. It's your mess, boy. __**Lick it.**_

The screams were relentless. Naruto brought his hands to his ears, desperately willing all the sounds to stop. But they didn't. _The desperate cries for help continue to resound in his head. _And he still couldn't look away. _Couldn't. _His eyes stung and he felt hot, streams of liquid racing down his cheeks. Tears began to blur his vision.

"Stop. Please stop." His voice broke, and Naruto started to hyperventilate.

Sasuke blocked his view, his body looming over the younger boy. Both of his knees were planted on either side of Naruto. He grasped the blond's shaking wrists and pressed his forehead against the other.

"Naruto. Look at me."

"...Stop..."

Sasuke let go of the blond's hands and cupped Naruto's face. The blood on the raven's hand smeared the blond's cheek and dribbled down his chin. But it was as if Naruto did not feel it. The blond remained unresponsive, his eyes dazed and his body continued to tremble.

"Look at me..." Sasuke repeated as he pressed his fingers harder to the blond's face.

Naruto blinked once. Then very slowly, he looked at Sasuke.

Grunts and muffled screams filled the room once again, but Naruto no longer paid heed to it as he stared numbly at his brother's eyes.

_-you can't fix me_

"Sas..."

Naruto wasn't able to finish it as pale lips descended and pressed hard against his own. A faint whiff of alcohol assailed the blond's nostrils as the kiss deepened; as the heated, wet lips pressed further and moved slowly against his own.

"I will protect you." Sasuke mumbled against the side of Naruto's mouth, the man's warm breaths mingling with his own. "I will do anything in my power... to protect you."

_-as every movement of the raven's lips leaves trails of saliva on his skin, he felt as though he was drowning._

"...At whatever cost, Naruto."

And Sasuke kissed him again. One hand slid down the blond's neck, while the other hand pressed further into his scalp. The hold was impossibly tight, and Naruto felt his chest constrict. It was suffocating. He couldn't breathe. He gasped for air...

_-Run._

Another scream echoed in the room.

Naruto shut his eyes.

* * *

(TBC)

Part 3/6


	4. Ashes to Ashes

**Rated M for Adult Themes**

**Part 4/6**

* * *

_'He knows._

_He knows._

_**He knows.'**_

Naruto buried himself into the mattress, mangling the sheets with his fingers, burrowing further and further into the bed

as if he could dig himself a **grave**.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Ashes to Ashes**

There were times during the night when he woke up screaming, crying like a child, gasping desperately in the darkness. He'd bury himself deeper into the bed, his heart gripped with fear, his mind flooded with nightmares. Every time he closed his eyes, images of that horrible night would play repeatedly in his head. He could see them like parts of a film imprinted at the back of his eyelids, playing again and again. They all felt so vivid, so real. So sickeningly _real._

There were noises everywhere. Like background music, he could hear _them _so clearly in his head. Those gruff voices echoing in his ears. As if _they_ were close to him again, coaxing him, whispering words into his ears. Mumbling words he could barely understand.

And he could feel _them _on his skin. There were wet, warm lips grazing his face, licking the side of his neck, teeth biting and scraping the skin of his throat. Large, rough hands circling his waist, going down slowly then resting on top of his knees. Those were the same rough hands forcing his knees apart. He could feel those fingers squeezing the inside of his thighs…

And there would be pain. That throbbing, scorching pain splitting his body in half. He's going to break._ He's going to break._

"Stop! M-make it stop. Make it stop." _Crying. _He could hear his own desperate cries for help, feeling his pillow moist with tears. It was like he was in that room again, explicitly reliving every detail, every second of the ordeal. These nightmares felt so real.

"…Naruto."

And then, amidst all of these, he would hear _him. _That deep, soothing voice cutting through all the noises in his head – overwhelming everything else.

The Uchiha leaned in further, hugging him closer to his body, his long arms enclosing Naruto into a strong embrace. The blond could feel the raven's heat through his clothes, the large hands drawing circles on his back. The touches felt so soothing, so terribly gentle. _So warm. _

_-__**he knows. **__Sasuke **knows** everything now._

"But I..."

And despite the fears and uncertainties in his heart, Naruto found himself sinking further into that tightening embrace, burying his face deeper into the other's chest.

"I'm here. I won't leave you."

The cold lips murmured words against his forehead, the raven's heated face flushed intimately against him.

"I will protect you."

_["…I will do __**everything **__in my power to protect you."]_

Sasuke kissed his cheeks and eyelids over and over again, brushing his lips gently against the other. It was a slight peck at first and then it became more intimate, more heated. The raven's parted lips forcing the blond's mouth to open, cold hands grasping his jaw firmly.

"I love you."

Against his skin, he heard the raven said.

One final tear escaped his eye.

Naruto curled in his sleep, the _**monster**_ in him desperately hoping that tomorrow would never come.

* * *

_It was the first time Hiashi Hyuuga had seen the child – and for his 15 years of servitude in the Tokyo Police Department, nothing could have prepared him at the sight that greeted him. _

_They found the child kneeling in the middle of the lavish room, surrounded by mangled and decapitated bodies of grown men. Human entrails were leaking out of the dissected bodies of the dead. Limbs were spread on the floor like broken toys. The child was the only one in the room seemingly in one piece. With only a necklace, he was visibly naked and every part of his body was bathed in blood. From his viewpoint, Hiashi could see that clasped in one tan hand was a single shard of vase, steadily dripping with blood. _

_The interior of the room was in disarray. Along with the lush carpeting of the room, the luxurious king bed at the center was filled with blood. Bed sheets were splayed-out on the marble floor, along with broken pieces of glass and porcelain. There were also emptied syringes and a few used condoms scattered everywhere. The large windows of the room were open, allowing the cold, bitter wind to breeze through the room. _

_Everything looked and felt like chucked-out of a horror film. It was all so gruesome, and even his men have visibly shuddered at the sight. No one spoke for a very long time. They were all transfixed at the scene before them._

_Then, Hiashi cleared his throat. Very slowly, he made his way towards the child. His men have tried to follow him but he raised his hand, giving them a mute signal to just stay where they are. He felt that had to go alone first. Any dubious movement from their part might alarm the child, and indubitably worsen the situation. _

_As he neared his target, Hiashi noted that the child appeared to be the same age as his son. He suspected that the boy must be 13 or 14 years of age. The frown on his face deepened at this realization._

_Very carefully, the older man knelt before the child. The child did not move, seemingly unaware of the other's presence._

_With their close proximity, Hiashi realized that the child was indeed blond. His eyes were blue and his complexion was darker than a local. Hiashi assumed that he must be a foreigner. But what made the boy's appearance more striking were the symmetrical scars lining his face. The scars were new, plump and reddish at the seams, and blood still oozed from them._

"_Boy." Hiashi started, as he slowly grasped the younger boy's hand to take away the piece of the vase. But as soon as their skin made contact, the child panicked. _

_The reaction was instantaneous. The younger boy flailed his arms wildly, screaming incoherent words. He pushed himself backwards and continued moving away from the older man until his back met the wall. The boy's movements were clumsy and he winced every time his rear touched the floor. His bruised knees were trembling as he hugged them closer to his chest. His blue eyes looked wild and desperate. The once vacant expression on his face has morphed into a heaving, despairing kind of look. _

"_P-Please. Let me go." The boy said in between sobs. "Let me go. I want to g-go home. I want to go home."_

_The boy repeated the words, not looking at anyone. His hands are still in front of his face, trembling, along with every part of his body. It was like a seizure. There were tremors everywhere. _

"_H-home. I want to go home. Let me go."_

_The boy continued to push himself further to the wall, as if he could carve up an opening to swallow him whole, all the while murmuring words the others could no longer understand._

"_Calm down, kid." _

_Hiashi has stood up from his kneeling position and is now slowly walking towards the boy. Even without looking, the child felt the movement and started screaming again, frail arms waving in the air as if pushing an imaginary figure away from him. _

"_G-get away from me! Leave me alone." The child's voice was shrill and the words were gasped out in the end. "Go away—"_

_Just then, the boy started to cough, spitting blood and spit on to the carpet. The child placed one hand on his chest and the other on the carpeted floor as his body slumped forward. He was panting, appearing as if he has trouble breathing. The overwhelming panic must have strained his heart severely._

"_A-aniki…" The boy uttered one last word before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, finally losing his consciousness. Hiashi charged forward immediately and caught the boy before his body touched the floor. _

_The older man cradled the boy's head on his arms. He gently removed the shard of vase embedded in the boy's palm and wrapped a towel around the naked figure. He observed the boy's face in his arms, feeling a sting in his chest when he realized he was right. The boy is approximately the same age as his son. He closed his eyes for a moment and gave out a very tired and heavy sigh before looking back at his men._

"_Get the medics." Hiashi ordered in a hard tone._

* * *

_Uchiha Fugaku pursed his lips together as he looked at the entrance of the famous hotel. Policemen were crowding the entrance, as well as a huge mob of onlookers and media men. The medics were scattered around the entrance, a few of them paving a way for the hospital stretchers to go in. _

"_Uchiha-sama." Fugaku heard Kakashi say as the latter opened the door. Fugaku gave a slight nod and straightened his coat. Before exiting the car however, he glanced at his son._

"_You don't have to come inside, Sasuke. There are still," Fugaku paused, a tad uncomfortable talking about this kind of incident to his son. He then cleared his throat. "There are still bodies there kept for investigations. You can just stay here and wait for me." _

_The 13-year old boy sitting across from him tore his gaze away from the window and looked at his father. His expression is blank, head tilted in mild curiosity, and not a hint of fear or anxiety in his eyes. "Don't worry, Father. I will be fine." The boy's lips curved up a little, a small smile gracing the pale face. It was a rare smile and was meant to be a reassurance but for some reason, Fugaku felt a little disturbed._

_It had barely been three months after his wife died and since then, his youngest son has become more of a recluse. Sasuke had always been a silent and serious child, but after his mother's death and his brother's disappearance, it became worse. Excluding him and Kakashi, the boy had never talked to anyone or showed any emotion. _

_Fugaku had tried sending him to various psychiatrists for counseling, but they failed. The youngest Uchiha had remained severely withdrawn and apathetic to everyone around him. _

_And now, staring at his son's dark, piercing eyes, Fugaku can't help but feel… worried. _

"_Fine." The older Uchiha sighed, shaking his head a bit to get rid of the bad thoughts. "You know the protocols. Don't touch anything and don't talk to the press. Am I understood?"_

_The boy dropped his smile and nodded. "Yes, Father."_

"_Good."_

_Fugaku alighted from the car. Immediately, the press spotted him and made their way towards the Financial Minister, barraging the latter with questions. They did not get close though as four suited body guards blocked them and paved a way for the politician._

"_This way." Kakashi guided the politician and his son inside the hotel. _

_They passed by the vast reception area and walked towards the elevator. Once the three of them were secluded inside the elevator, the Uchiha patriarch looked at Kakashi. "Give me a briefing."_

_Kakashi took out a small notebook from his breast pocket._

"_According to the reports, there were five people in the room when the police force arrived. Three of the bodies were already dead. One was in critical condition but he died later as well. There was only one survivor."_

"_Survivor? Is it the governor?"_

_Kakashi shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. The governor, along with three of his bodyguards did not survive. The only one alive in that room… was a child."_

_Fugaku looked mildly surprised, somber eyes widening for a moment. Even Sasuke was looking at him now, a glint of interest in his eyes. _

"_A child? Who…?" The elder Uchiha asked._

_Kakashi stared back solemnly at the patriarch. He did not say anything anymore but his eyes were meaningful._

_It did not take long before the Uchiha realized the implication. He looked away, unconsciously clenching his fists. There have been rumors about the governor engaging in… rather 'disgraceful' acts. But as a man who has never believed in rumors, Fugaku let it slide. He was not interested in such baseless allusions. But now, he's realizing what a great mistake it was. He should have been more involved in the lives of his officials._

"_It is true then?"_

_Kakashi nodded. "They found a hidden camera attached to one of the furniture of the room." He placed the notebook inside his pocket before continuing. "They've studied the contents and… they confirmed it."_

"_What a disgrace." Fugaku grated out. It was quite a rare sight. Sasuke watched his father trembled in fury, his blank expression a stark contrast to the older Uchiha's. After a moment, the boy then focused his attention to the assistant._

"_What's the cause of death?" Sasuke asked. _

_Kakashi's visible eye blinked. He glanced at the older Uchiha, mutely asking permission if he should proceed. "Well…"_

_Fugaku gave a slight nod as a response._

_The assistant heaved a sigh. 'What a family.'_

"_Severe body mutilations." Kakashi answered, trying to sound as monotone as ever. He really shouldn't be discussing this with a child._

_But to his surprise, Sasuke did not even bat an eyelid and continued with his queries. "What of the child? What happened to—?"_

_The boy was interrupted when the elevator gave a soft "ding", signaling them of their arrival to their chosen floor. Kakashi inwardly gave a sigh of relief as he stepped out of the elevator. _

"_Follow me please." He murmured, once again guiding the way. The hallways were massive and were filled with doors in every direction. In spite of this, it was not that hard to locate the room, given the amount of policemen and medics crowding one area. Kakashi proceeded to the location, followed by the two Uchihas. _

_As they neared the room, one of the police officers noticed their presence. "Minister-sama!" He shouted. This got the attention of everyone, especially the Chief._

_Hiashi moved towards his superior. "Minister-sama." He bowed a few times respectfully. "You really should not be here. We can handle this. Rest assured, we will send a report of our findings to you as soon as possible."_

_Fugaku raised his palm. "It is fine, Hyuuga." Coldness gripped his voice. "I am just here… to observe. You can proceed with your duties."_

_The Hyuuga gritted his teeth as he lowered his head. "H-hai, Minister-sama." He bowed a few more times and went back to his men. _

_The situation became more harried when the medics started pushing the stretchers carrying the dead bodies out of the room. The bodies were covered in white blankets, blood seeping through the thin cloth. There were parts of limbs peaking out from beneath the covers. The bodies were long dead but the stench of blood and mutilated flesh remained strong. _

_Beneath the mask, the assistant scrunched up his nose. It was indeed a grotesque sight and there is no doubt that the media would feast on this. Even more than the massacre, the governor's 'private' life will be exposed. _

"_Take care of my son, Kakashi." Fugaku ordered, his gaze focused on the man who has just arrived. It was Vice Minister Shimura Danzo. "I need to talk to the vice minister."_

"_Hai, Uchiha-sama." _

_Kakashi watched the Uchiha approached the other official. Briefly, he wondered why such high-ranking officials are gathering in this place. 'Why are they all interested in this case?' Heaving a deep sigh, Kakashi shook his head. This is not his concern. _

_Refocusing his attention on Sasuke, his heart gave a mild flip when he found out that the boy was not where he should be. _

"_Ah shit."_

* * *

_No one saw the raven-haired child enter the room. _

_No one was paying attention. Everyone is caught up in their own business. The officers are still gathering evidence and securing the area. The medics, on the other hand, are busy collecting human limbs and entrails scattered around the room._

_The child stepped further inside. His steps are cautious and quiet as he paced towards the only stretcher left in the room. _

_Strapped to the bed was a sleeping blond child with thick gauzes on his cheeks. Most of his face is hidden beneath an oxygen mask. Except from his bandaged arms, his whole body is covered with a white blanket marred by some patches of blood. Though the child appears to be injured, he does not look like he's in critical condition. _

_The young Uchiha paused at the side of the bed, pale hands resting on top of the covers. His observed the sleeping child in odd fascination. Then, very slowly, his fingers moved up, ghosting over the bandaged arm, then to the other's necklace. He traced the crystal gem in his hand, feeling the smooth contours of the jagged gem. _

_He stopped when he heard the blond murmuring in his sleep. The raven strained his ears closer to the sleeping child._

"_Nii-san… Itachi-nii…" _

"…_."_

_The raven's fingers were shaking, his shoulders trembling. His jaw clenched painfully. _

"_How…?"_

_The Uchiha gripped the gem tighter… _

…_and ripped the necklace away._

* * *

"By sweat of your face, you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground. For out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return..."

The priest paused after the last line, head bowed. He kissed the small book and brought it down to his chest. Bony fingers clasped the golden cross hanging around his neck as he gave his last prayers for the dead. The people followed suit, lowering their heads in silence.

After a brief moment of quiet, one of the altar knights handed a small bottle to the priest. The priest took it, raised his thin hand in the air and sprinkled holy water onto the coffin, all the while murmuring silent prayers. His immaculate white robes danced in the air as he waved his hand, the Bible still held close against his chest.

The mood was solemn and quiet. It complemented the grim-looking clouds hanging above the burial grounds. The heavy downpour of the late afternoon has now receded into a light drizzle. The gentle sound of the raindrops tapping on the umbrellas of the guests has provided a soothing sound for the ceremony.

It was a grand Christian funeral – simply one of the grandest in years. It could have been a traditional Japanese burial, but the remaining relatives of the deceased man have insisted on a Christian memorial service. There are a few Conservatives who opposed the integration of such a foreign belief to a funeral but it would not matter anyway, since the man himself was not a religious. The old man's loyalty has never been attached to any religion, culture, or man. It has always been a strict and rather unhealthy devotion to the country – to the endurance and progression of Japan.

But traditions aside, no one can argue that the lavish memorial service was indeed very suitable for one of the most famous and enduring public figures of the Japanese government, _Vice Minister Shimura Danzo_.

A lot of prominent people from the government and the media, complete with their entourage, have attended the luxurious memorial service. Distinguished members of the Japanese military were also present in the ceremony.

Elegant and detailed flower arrangements lined the path towards the venerated coffin. The exterior of the casket itself is made from mahogany, plated with pure gold and brass decorations and silver linings at the side. After the funeral, a mausoleum will be built to enclose the burial grounds of the esteemed vice minister.

However, if truth be told, no one really paid attention to such grandiose details. The ambience was not only dark. It was also plagued by suspicions and allegations. Everyone's thoughts were centered on one thing: the truth of the vice minister's death.

According to the media reports, the high-ranking official died of a heart attack while on a travel to Hokkaido. He supposedly died in a train. His body guards have called on the paramedics when the man remained unresponsive for so long. Nothing could have been further from the truth – if the missing right arm, gouged eyes, and battered body would be taken into consideration. In actuality, the old man's mangled corpse was found swimming in an old sewage in downtown Tokyo. The autopsy revealed that the old man died of massive bleeding because of the critical injuries he suffered.

The discovery of the body was the day after the new Prime Minister's inaugural party. But of course, these accounts were not disclosed to the public. The concealment was intended by the higher authorities as the last homage for the revered leader. It would be highly disgraceful if the manner of death was exposed to the public. Including the media, all the few people who knew the truth were paid off to keep their mouths shut.

A series of highly classified investigations had been commenced regarding the case, but as of now, everything was off the record and only the higher authorities would be notified of the developments in the case. This was to ensure that no unsolicited information would leak out.

Indeed.

Uchiha Sasuke had made sure of this.

The youngest Uchiha gripped the black rose in his hand before tossing it away to land on the lowering coffin. "My deepest, sincerest condolences." The raven muttered in a dull voice, his gaze fixed on the elaborately decorated casket. But there was no sympathy or any sign of bereavement on his face. His expression remained vacant, his eyes unblinking as he stared at the coffin.

"Uchiha-dono." Kakashi called to his superior, nudging the umbrella closer to the raven. "We should go."

Sasuke nodded. He turned around and went back to their designated place. He sat next to his father.

A few minutes passed before his father broke the silence.

"Where is your brother?" Fugaku asked.

"I believe he's still in the car, father."

"I thought," Fugaku leaned in closer to his son, his voice lower, "I told you specifically to bring him here, not leave him dawdling in the car. This is unacceptable, Sasuke. This is a ceremony. It requires his presence as an Uchiha. That boy should be here."

"I apologize." Sasuke intoned, his tone less than apologetic. "He's… not feeling well."

"Too much to drink last night, I presume. All those partying and late-night sessions…" Fugaku's expression hardened. "Really, that boy. His behavior is really upsetting." The old man sighed heavily. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

"Don't worry, Father." Sasuke finally tore his gaze away from the burial grounds and looked at his father. "Leave him to me. I will talk to him."

The young Uchiha's lips curved slightly upwards. It was almost a smile but the fervor did not even reach his eyes.

"Hm." Fugaku hummed at the reassurance. He looked back at the throng of people leaving the funeral. He seemed deep in thought.

A few minutes passed and the two Uchihas were escorted out of the burial grounds. They left the service without even glancing back.

* * *

Naruto dug his index finger into the rubber padding of the car windowsill, uncaring of the dirt accumulating in his fingernail. He repeated the process, burying his finger deeper into the padding as he stared dazedly at the people outside the car. They were leaving. The funeral service must have finished, he thought vaguely.

'_No need for this fancy suit then.' _Naruto mused. He loosened the black tie under his neck and tossed it somewhere. He has this urge to take off the dark blazer too, but it would be too cold. His polo shirt isn't really that thick.

Nonetheless, he took it off.

_Cold. So cold._

Suppressing a shiver, he leaned back further into his seat. He fixed his gaze on the tinted glass of the car, letting himself be distracted by the droplets of water trickling down and pooling in the window frame.

_It was Danzo's funeral._

_**-stop it. don't think. **_

Naruto clutched his stomach as he felt another bile rise in his throat. Clenching his lips, he swallowed it back.

Even now, his breaths smelled of vomit. _His vomit. _He couldn't remember how many times he hugged the toilet bowl that morning. He just kept on throwing up. His eyes watered and his throat ached at the relentless heaving. It just went on and on. He couldn't even look at food anymore without cringing. Everything felt so disgusting. _Everything felt so dirty._

Naruto heard the car door opened. He immediately closed his eyes, not bothering to glance at the other.

The seat was wide enough, providing a significant distance between the two brothers, but Naruto still felt cornered. He resisted the urge to push himself further to the edge. He just crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head away from the other.

For a very long time, no one talked.

The entire car ride consisted of silence.

* * *

"Here we are." Kakashi said, finally breaking the unbearable silence that reigned in the car. He glanced at the rearview mirror.

Naruto hesitantly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. Blinking a few times, he swallowed hard when he recognized the place. They are in the entrance of the National Diet Building. The huge pillars at the center and the off-white, brick architecture made it easily identifiable.

Outside the car, there are many people crowding the area, most of them are reporters and their posse. Huge cameras were almost glued to the car window, raring to take pictures of the first family.

"Why are we here?" The blond abruptly asked, confusion lacing his eyes. He struggled so hard not to talk but his curiosity just has to override everything else. He can't help it. _This is just rather strange to say the least._

In his two years in the Uchiha family, he has never been brought here – or anywhere near a public office for that matter. Although his adoption to the aristocratic clan was widely broadcast, his adopted family has made certain that _that _would be the only publicized thing about him. They exerted efforts and resources to make sure that his whole image and person would be secured from the prying eyes of the media. In short, he was kept hidden from the public.

Receiving no response, Naruto asked again.

Sasuke did not answer and instead signaled his guards at the front. The guards moved fast and a tad forcefully. It didn't take long before they cleared out the way, providing a path where they can walk literally untouched by the press. Without the people blocking the view, Naruto saw a lush red carpet lining the entrance steps of the building. Everything looked so… magnificent. And for a short moment, the blond stared in awe.

Kakashi opened the door beside Sasuke. There was a pause before the raven finally looked at Naruto.

"You're coming."

It was not a question, nor a request. It was an order, and the blond balked in displeasure as he stared back at his brother.

"Like hell I will, bastard." Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, daring the other to make a move. He straightened his back and looked directly at the older Uchiha. "I'll stay here for as long as—"

A pale, cold hand suddenly grabbed Naruto's and pulled him forcefully outside, effectively stopping his speech. Due to shock, the blond stumbled on his way out, knees almost scraping the smooth concrete. He cursed rather loudly as he pulled himself up, his only support being the cold hand gripping his own.

The blond tried tugging his hand back but the raven did not let go, did not even glance back as he continued walking, practically pulling the other with him. And Naruto, despite himself, followed.

It must look like an unusual sight – the two of them walking hand in hand at the center of so many people. Normally, Naruto would bask in the amount of attention, but now, he can't even lift his head. His head remained lowered, eyes fixed at the carpeted pavement as he walks.

_-these people… they will know. They will know. __**Everyone **__will know._

Naruto raised his other hand to cover his face. The flashes of the cameras were blinding. They were too bright; the people too loud. Everything looked and sounded so chaotic. Huge microphones were almost hurled at his face. In the background, he could hear people asking him questions, saying things he could not understand. The words were muddled in his ears and the faces of the people appeared distorted in his sight. Something twisted in his gut.

_-He saw Danzo's eyes gouged out in front of him._

His hands grew clammy. He felt something rise in his throat. Something bitter rolled on his tongue. He gagged. Naruto clamped his hand on his mouth, but it was too late. Before he knew it, he started throwing up again – right in the middle of all these people.

Naruto crouched down as he emptied the remaining contents of his stomach on the lush red carpet. He felt his own vomit flowing down to his neck, then to his clothes. He knew people were staring; knew that that the cameras were still flashing; but at this moment, he can't help himself.

A figure loomed over him. He closed his eyes shut, teeth digging into his lower lip. _He shouldn't have been brought here._

Something warm enveloped his body. Confused, Naruto opened his eyes.

Sasuke has knelt before him, his own coat removed and cloaked on Naruto's body. He could feel the raven's lingering heat surrounding his entire back. It felt wonderfully warm. And for a moment, Naruto relished in that warmth, lost, and gazing at his brother's dark eyes.

An arm made its way around his back, bracing his upper body. He felt a gentle tug and then, he was standing up, supported by his brother.

There were muffled voices in the background, but this time, Naruto was not paying attention. Everything blurred around him. Sounds and sights were reduced into mere drones and shapes. The only thing he could feel, the only thing that mattered right now, was the comforting warmth of the body next to him.

They walked slowly towards the entrance.

* * *

He splashed a bit of water on his face, shivering at the cold feel. He shook his head slightly and rested his hands on the edge of the gold-plated, marble countertop. In dazed fascination, Naruto watched the droplets of water dribbling down slowly from his face to the smooth surface of the sink, swirling around the drain.

Then slowly, very slowly, he lifted his head and gazed at his reflection on the huge mirror in front of him. His stomach clenched. He removed his gaze immediately.

Naruto opened the faucet again, drank a mouthful of water, and spat it out. He repeated the process until he could no longer taste the familiar bitterness lingering on his tongue.

The blond gripped the collar of his brother's blazer, bringing it close to his nose. The strong scent of Sasuke's perfume filled him. Naruto hugged the blazer closer to his body, letting himself drown in that scent. It soothed him for some reason.

After a while, Naruto turned to the door.

"Kakashi-san, I know you're outside. You can come in, you know."

There was a pause then a soft click was heard. The white-haired assistant stepped inside the gaudy lavatory. He closed the door silently.

"Uzumaki-dono."

The blond narrowed his eyes, putting his hands on his hips as he faced Kakashi directly. He looked slightly annoyed. "We've talked about this, Kakashi-san."

"Oh." The assistant raised both hands, as if in surrender. "I mean, Naruto-kun."

"Much better." The blond made a thumbs-up sign, smiling at the older man.

Kakashi smiled back. He advanced towards Naruto, offering the blond another coat, but the latter declined, and unconsciously hugged Sasuke's coat closer to his body.

"I know you're supposed to keep an eye on me but you know," Naruto mumbled as he turned towards the faucet again to look for a napkin. "Try to make it a little less creepy."

"Creepy?" Kakashi asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Yeah you know, that 'shadowing method' of yours. Seriously, stop that. It's really making me uncomfortable." The blond started drying his face with the napkin. Once he's done, he tossed the napkin towards the trash bin, smiling when it slid through neatly down the hole. "You can just come with me, walk with me or something."

Kakashi stared at the blond for a while. Then he nodded his head, smiling beneath his mask. "I understand."

Naruto's grin grew in response.

"Can I ask something, Naruto-kun?"

"Sure."

"Why are you here?"

Naruto's eyebrows shot up on his forehead. "You're kidding, right? You're asking me that?" He smirked. "Should I have you hold my balls when I pee? Am I no longer allowed to piss on my own?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Yeah I'm sure." Naruto leaned his hip against the extensive countertop. He crossed his arms over his chest. "The bastard's just being too paranoid."

"Maybe he is, Naruto-kun, considering the fact that you've been hiding here for almost an hour."

"Oh come on, Kakashi-san. His speech is outrageously long and boring and I don't understand half the words coming out of that bastard's mouth… using all these big words and shit." The blond looked away. "I'm not needed there anyway. Heck, I'm not even supposed to be here. Why did he bring me here anyway?"

Naruto's voice became lower at the last part. He doesn't really understand why the Uchiha felt the need to bring him along. Was he looking for companionship during these boring meetings? Is this his only means of "reconciliation", perhaps?

"_I'm not letting you out of my sight again."_

Naruto swallowed hard, remembering the last time Sasuke looked him in the eye and said those words.

They had not really talked since the inaugural party. What happened that night became something of a taboo topic between them.

Naruto was just glad they were not talking about it. He doesn't know if he'd be able to have the strength to talk about it to anyone, most especially with Sasuke. He had already buried those memories long ago. He doesn't want to be reminded of them again.

"Perhaps, he just wants your presence." Kakashi replied.

The blond blinked, forgetting the train of their conversation. "Oh. Yeah. I highly doubt that, though."

"May I ask why?"

"Oh I don't know. Sasuke's such a bastard when he's with me. But when he's talking to someone else, he becomes all-professional and polite and… gentle."

Kakashi laughed a bit. "I assure you, Naruto-kun. He's only gentle with you, don't worry."

"Really? Huh. Hard to believe that." Naruto interlaced his fingers behind his head. "So, is the bastard finished? 'Cause I'm not going out of this room until he is."

The assistant nodded. "He is, Naruto-kun. That's why I'm here – to escort you back."

Naruto groaned, his shoulders slumping dramatically. "Where to?"

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Just some place. I'm sure you'll like it, Naruto-kun."

The blond raised an eyebrow in curiosity but he did not ask anymore.

* * *

_Beautiful. _There's simply no better way to describe the lavish interior of the famed restaurant. Despite his slight repulsion to food nowadays, Naruto still couldn't help but admire the splendor and the intricate details of the traditional Japanese-styled diner. His eyes raked over the shadowy walls, the luxurious wooden furniture, and the scenic images painted on the partitions of the elaborate diner.

"Idiot."

The blond blinked at the deep voice. He focused his attention on his brother who is currently staring at him from across the table.

"Quit staring and just eat."

Naruto touched his chopsticks but he did not lift them, merely running his fingers on the smooth surface of the metallic utensil.

"I'm not… really hungry Sasuke." The blond looked at the table again. If it was any other day, he could have relished in the delightful and massive feast in front of him. But at this moment, there was not an ounce of appetite in his system. All this food just appeared nauseating to him. _He hates it._

The blond gave a small grin. "You know, we could just have a take-out. I'm sure the people in the house would appreciate all of this."

"…."

Sasuke brought his chopsticks down, resting them neatly at the side of his plate. A short pause, then he looked at Naruto. "This is for you, idiot. You haven't eaten since this afternoon."

Naruto refused to meet the other's gaze. He kept his head lowered, playing at the hem of his sleeves. "I'm fine bastard. I'm not hungry."

"I'm not asking if you are hungry, Naruto." Sasuke said, impatience lacing his voice. "I'm asking you to eat."

The blond bristled at the obvious tone of command.

"Well I don't want to."

"Naruto."

The blond clenched his teeth beneath his lips. He knew that tone of voice. Hard. Imposing. _Cold._

Sighing heavily, Naruto finally looked at his brother. He was supposed to say something really rude but his words died in his throat when he looked at his brother's eyes. They were almost… _gentle_. Not angry or intimidating. The raven seemed like he's just a bit annoyed and worried.

"Fine." Naruto swallowed hard. He fingered his chopsticks and dug it into the broth. "Just one bowl, okay? I don't want to meet all of this stuff again in the toilet bowl."

"Hn."

The raven picked up his utensil as well. He was almost smiling. _Almost_. If that small upward twitch of the lips could be called smiling.

Naruto was stunned for a moment at the sight, strands of noodles dangling from his slightly open mouth.

Noticing the stare, Sasuke asked. "What?"

The blond gulped the contents of his mouth before speaking. "You're smiling."

"…."

"The great Uchiha Sasuke – actually smiling." Naruto grinned. "I should have brought my camera. The pictures could have sold millions, _teme._"

"Shut up."

The blond laughed.

"You know," Naruto said in between "manly" giggles, "if you weren't such a heartless bastard, you could have been attractive, you know, for a dude. Just keep smiling. It upped your looks a little."

At this, Sasuke stopped eating and gazed directly at his younger brother, one eyebrow raised.

"Really, Naruto?"

"What?"

"You think I'm attractive. Handsome, perhaps?"

The raven's smile, or smirk, grew.

"What—?"

Finally catching the implication, Naruto blushed. He felt his face and neck heating up. "That's… You…" He stammered, dropping his chopsticks and pointing rudely at the other. "I don't know what you're thinking bastard, but it's wrong okay. I don't mean that. You're not good-looking at all. Definitely not as good-looking as me. Just a bit… well… nice to look at."

Naruto buried his face into his palms. "Ah crap. That's worse. That's sounds creepy. That's not what I mean. Gah, why the hell am I spewing this nonsense crap. Bury it. Bury it."

"Naruto."

Too busy with berating himself, Naruto did not see the other stand up and made his way towards him.

The raven knelt beside Naruto.

"Idiot."

The blond lifted his head. A bit shocked at the sudden close proximity and the intensity in the raven's eyes, he moved his head back.

"B-bastard." Naruto murmured breathlessly before cool lips meet his own.

It was an open-mouth kiss. Naruto's eyes widened in shock but he did not recoil. He felt Sasuke pushed further into his lips, hands cupping his face hard.

Naruto gripped Sasuke shoulders in response, eyes sliding closed. _These are the same cold lips that night, but at this moment, _Naruto refused to care.

Overlapping lips pressed nearer to each other. Bodies almost melding. Thoughts in disarray and words left unsaid.

There's no air between them. No other world but each other.

Gradually, the long kiss ended. Both lips wet and heated.

They stared at each other for a very long time.

And then, without breaking eye contact, Sasuke fished out something from his pocket. It was a crystal gem necklace.

Naruto gasped. "No way. Where did you…? How…?"

_This was the necklace he lost years ago. His parents' necklace._

The raven did not answer and instead placed the gem on the blond's chest, wrapping the silver chain around the other's neck. Naruto was too stunned to say anything. Slack-jawed, he could only look at Sasuke.

Once the raven locked the necklace, he looked at Naruto again. Slowly, he placed another kiss on the other's lips. The movement was unhurried, the raven tracing the blond's lips with his own. Sasuke was mumbling words into his mouth. The words were inconceivable at first but as the raven repeated them, Naruto finally made out the words.

"I love you…

…_I love you."_

Sasuke kissed him again.

Naruto's breath hitched in his throat. He could feel his face heating up again, a shiver running down his spine.

"I love you, idiot." The raven said again, placing his large palms on Naruto's shoulders.

"Sasuke, I…" Naruto murmured, unconsciously clenching his fists. "I…"

"Shh..."

Their lips connected again, gently, moving so slowly and gently. Gradually, the kiss deepened, everything blurred; the world around them beginning to dissolve into something so distant and unreal.

* * *

"You look… happy today." Kakashi commented as he dodged a kick to his side.

Naruto stopped attacking. He regarded the white-haired assistant with a confused expression. "Eh. What?"

"I said you look happy." The assistant replied, assuming a more relaxed stance. He faced the blond directly. "A bit different compared to the past few days. What happened?"

"I do? Really?" Naruto copied the other's stance, dropping his guard. He supposed that their spar for today is already finished.

The other nodded.

"How so? I mean I do look awesome everyday but how can you tell, Kakashi-san?"

Kakashi chuckled, unsure if he's going to negate what the other said or just humor him. Knowing the personality of the blond, the assistant chose the latter. "Indeed, you do look awesome everyday, _Uzumaki-dono, _but that's not what I mean."

"Oh?" The blond raised an eyebrow, placing both hands on his hips. "What then?"

"Well for starters, you're starting to eat again, stopped throwing up, and you look more lenient today."

"Lenient?"

"Calm. Comfortable. Laid-back."

Naruto looked peeved, lips pouting slightly. "I do know what lenient means, Kakashi-san. I'm just asking why you think I look more 'lenient'."

"Hm." Kakashi paused. He placed one hand under his chin, seemingly thinking. He then moved towards the blond slowly. "Well…"

"Well-what?"

The blond yelped when the older man suddenly tripped him and put him in a head-lock.

"What did I say about _not dropping your guard, _Naruto-kun?"

Naruto struggled to detach himself. "You cheat."

"Rule number 3: Diversion." the older man said, voice confident. "If fighting is not plausible, escape. Run. Get away. Sometimes, Naruto-kun, it's the best strategy. Use any means to divert the attention of your enemy."

"Diversion huh? Well that's good and all, Kakashi-san but are you telling me that what you said earlier – that's not true?"

"I do mean what I said, Naruto-kun. You do look happier today." Kakashi moved his head closer to the blond. He was grinning. "I may not know the reason, but I am relieved that you are better now. I really am, Uzumaki-dono."

Naruto smiled back, then glared at the other playfully. "Aw that's sweet, Kakashi-san. But quit with the stupid honorifics and I'll appreciate it if you release me now."

"Rule number 26: Head-lock breakout tactics…"

The blond groaned. "Oh come on, Kakashi-san. I wasn't paying attention with the lessons okay? I don't remember them, honest! So just—"

Naruto suddenly stopped when he heard something. It sounded like a static.

"Is there a problem?" the assistant asked.

Naruto shushed the other, straining his ears to the source of the high pitched electronic static sound. It sounded like when there is a disruption of a signal or when two highly-powered devices are near each other.

The blond lowered his head, his eyes briefly glancing to the necklace dangling from his neck. Then suddenly, something clicked in his head. His eyes widened. He looked back at Kakashi, brows deeply creasing.

"Kakashi-san, do you have your walkie-talkie with you?"

"Yes. Why?"

The blond's expression has hardened. Worried, Kakashi released the boy slowly from his grasp. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

"Can I borrow it? Just one second."

The older man hesitated for a moment. He was not allowed to do this. That was his only means of communication. What if the blond try something? The blond does have a creative mind – a mind that can almost rival the genius of one Sasuke Uchiha, unconventional his methods may be. Sighing heavily, the white-haired assistant gave in eventually. He handed Naruto the transceiver.

Naruto did not take it and instead, just unfastened his necklace and placed it close to the radio.

The static sound came alive again, this time louder.

Naruto gripped the chain, his blunt nails digging into his palm.

"That… _**bastard**_."

* * *

The blond stormed inside the raven's office, his steps loud and heavy. Seething in anger, he faced his brother directly.

"This is a _fucking_ tracking device, you asshole." Naruto yelled, dangling the necklace in front of him. His fingers trembled slightly as he gripped the chain. "What? Your guards aren't enough? Keeping me jailed here isn't _fucking_ enough?"

"Naruto." Sasuke brought his papers down on the table.

"This is a gift, you jerk. My mother's last gift for me. My _real family_, Sasuke." Here, Naruto's voice almost break. "I thought you retrieved this for me. I was so… _Fuck,_ I was so happy when you gave this to me."

The blond looked away, eyes narrowing with mixed anger and hurt.

"H-how could you? How dare you do this? How dare you use it like that?"

Sasuke did not say anything and instead approached the blond, his steps barely making a sound.

Naruto sensed the approaching figure. He tensed. "Stop, you asshole. Stay away from me." The blond bared his teeth, his body tightening as he glared fiercely at the raven.

It did nothing to intimidate the latter though as Sasuke continued walking towards him. Naruto drew back.

"I said…" The blond grated out. "Stay back _teme_."

Seeing that the other remained unaffected by his words, Naruto turned to leave. "Fine. Have it your way. I'll leave then."

The blond turned his back on the raven and went towards the door. He grasped the door handle and proceeded to open it when the raven's pale hand suddenly appeared in front of him, resting on the side of the door close to his face. Another pale hand made its way on the door knob, covering the blond's hand.

Naruto did not dare turn around. He could feel the Uchiha's breaths brushing warmly at the back of his right ear. He cringed despite his anger.

"I don't care about your opinions, Naruto." Sasuke whispered into his ears, tone hard. "I am willing to do anything to protect you, with or without your approval."

"Screw you, bastard. I don't need your protection. I can _fucking_ take care of myself."

The grip on the blond's hand tightened. Sasuke pushed his body closer to the blond's, the raven's chest flushed against Naruto's back.

The blond's jaws clenched, his own hand gripping the knob tighter. "I just need you to be honest with me." At this, Naruto turned his head to look at the other.

"I just need you to _stop lying to my face_."

"…."

"This." With his other hand, Naruto shoved the necklace to the raven's face again. "This is not for my protection, is it Sasuke?"

There was no expression at all in Sasuke's face but Naruto knew perfectly well that deep in that cool exterior, he hit a nerve.

"This is your last resort to find your brother."

"…."

"That if ever I ran away again, this little gift of yours will ensure that I'll lead you to him. I might as well be the bait. Right, _nii-san?_" Naruto smirked, despite the pang in his chest. He didn't know if he was right. He was just relying on pure instinct. Everything just suddenly clicked in his head. But deep inside, he sincerely hoped he was wrong. He hoped that his bastard of a brother would negate everything he said.

But Sasuke didn't.

The raven let go of his hand. Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke stepped back and moved away. The blond bit his lip hard, letting the pain drain away the sting in his eyes.

'_I was right?'_

"That was… true?" Naruto mumbled brokenly. He lifted his face to look at Sasuke but the latter's gaze was far away. "You really intended to _use _me?" It was Naruto's turn to approach the raven but he stopped mid-way when Sasuke replied.

"Yes."

Naruto was stunned. It felt like his heart had stopped. He stood there gaping at the raven, unable say anything.

"I still need to find my brother." Sasuke gritted out, clenching his fists. There is a dark shadow covering his eyes and his shoulders are trembling in fury. "And when I do, I'll _kill_ him."

"…."

"I'll _fucking end _him." At this, Sasuke finally looked at the blond. "And I will need your help, Naruto—"

A necklace was thrown right at the Uchiha's chest. It fell down and landed on the floor with a soft 'clink'. The raven looked at the necklace, then at the blond.

Naruto stared back at Sasuke, widened eyes filled with disbelief and hurt.

Then, without saying anything, he turned around and left.

* * *

Naruto gulped at the height. It was a 30 plus-feet drop from his balcony. He looked around again, wondering if he had other alternatives. There were none. He frowned and tried to relax himself, remembering that memory from two years ago when he attempted the same feat.

It ended with him having a fractured clavicle, two broken bones in his legs, and a week-long detention in the hospital. _'Okay. Not a good memory apparently.' _Naruto thought.

It was supposed to be just a prank but it ended wrong when the cord attached to the rope wrapped around his waist snapped and broke. He was not aware of how brittle it really was. That was what he got from improvising with unknown materials in the house.

His memories were quite blurry after that, but he remembered Sasuke shouting his name. It was the first time the raven had actually said his name. _The very first time. _

Naruto blacked out soon after and regretted the fact that he didn't even get to see Sasuke's face when he won the bet.

Naruto smiled briefly at the memory. He could hear the growing volume of noises inside the house. His smile grew. _'It's starting.' _The _final_ and greatest prank as he called it.

The blond paid all the attendants of the manor to run around the house dress like him, complete with a blond wig and scars on the cheeks. They have to do that for half an hour. For everyone else, it would seem like a prank, typical of one Uzumaki Naruto. But in reality, it was the blond's only means of diversion. So is to say, he'll take advantage of the confusion in the house to escape. Kakashi-san would be proud.

He just hoped it would work.

Naruto adjusted the ropes around his waist one last time before he closed his eyes… _and jumped._

* * *

"_If something ever happens,"_ _Itachi acquired a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Naruto. "__**If**__, for any reason, we failed to meet at the rendezvous point tonight, this schedule would be our alternative."_

_Naruto glanced at the piece of paper, then back to Itachi. "This is a week from now, aniki. Why would it take me that long to meet you?"_

"_I know my brother."_

"_Sasuke? What do you mean? What does he have to do with this?" The blond gave a low chuckle. "Is he going to chain me to a bed? Put me in a vault or something?"_

_The older Uchiha did not reply. Instead, he looked away and took a long drag from his cigarette._

_He said nothing more after that._

Now that Naruto realized it, Itachi's expression became more serious when his brother's the topic. When they were talking about Sasuke, the mood became darker, the replies more cryptic, and the ambience generally more uncomfortable. At first, Naruto assumed that it might be because of Itachi's longing for his family, especially for his younger brother. Maybe, he missed his family more than he lets on. But now, he wasn't too sure. His gut was telling him that something feels wrong here. _Terribly, terribly wrong._

Naruto stopped running, shoes skidding to an abrupt halt. He looked around, surveying his current location. His surroundings seemed familiar but he couldn't locate their _designated _building.

It was almost laughable that he's lost in his own turf. He lived here for practically all his life and he's still getting lost. _'Damn.' _Naruto cursed as he started walking in a random direction.

He chewed on his lip as he scanned the area, looking for any clues. He's seriously running out of time and if he does not meet Itachi today, he might never meet him again. If that happens, he would not be able to protect his family. As long as he stays here in this country, there will be people who will stop at nothing to **ruin** his family. Right now, he's the greatest liability of the Uchiha. His terrible past would certainly be their downfall.

A skyscraper in front of him caught Naruto's attention. He stopped walking, trying to remember the exact name of the building scribbled neatly on the piece of paper Itachi gave him.

A smile tugged at his lips when the names coincide. Naruto ran towards the building as fast as he can.

He failed to notice a black car looming in the distance.

* * *

Kakashi tightened his hold on the steering wheel as he watched the blond boy go inside the building. Beneath the mask, his lips pursed thinly. He glanced back at his lord through the rearview mirror.

Sasuke was polishing his gun while looking at the window, dark eyes narrowed and much colder than usual.

"Uchiha-dono." Kakashi started. "He just went inside. Should I contact the reinforcements now?"

"…."

There was no response and the assistant expected it. What he had not expected however was Sasuke unlocking the car door and sliding out of his seat. Before Kakashi could even blink, the raven was already outside, walking towards the entrance of the building.

Kakashi chased after the raven. He knew this would get him fired or in Sasuke's case, heavily injured, but at this moment he does not care. He needed to say this before something terrible happened. With more nerve that he could manage, he blocked the Uchiha's path.

"Uchiha-dono." Kakashi started again, exhibiting an unusually serious expression on his face. "I may not have complete knowledge of what's going on here but this I can attest to. Revenge destroys everyone. It would **never** heal your pain. It will only get worse. Please don't do something you know you will regret. Let us handle this."

"Kakashi." Sasuke muttered coldly. "If you do not want a bullet in your _fucking_ skull then get out of my way."

Kakashi's fists clenched. He glanced at his student's dark eyes, trying to find something there but there was nothing but pure loathing. _Nothing but pure hate swimming in those endless pools of black._

'_How did you become like this?'_

Eventually, Kakashi conceded and stepped out of the way.

Once the raven was out of earshot, the assistant grabbed his cellphone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Instruct your men to go inside now. Please do take the necessary precautions," Kakashi stressed the word. "If it can be helped, do not, I repeat, do not hurt anyone. Bring back Naruto Uzumaki and disarm and capture his companion. These are direct orders. Copy?"

An affirmative crackled on the phone and Kakashi snapped his phone shut.

* * *

"Itachi!" Naruto shouted as he spun around on the rooftop.

"Itachi, where are you?" The blond called out again, looking for any signs of the older Uchiha in the area. But there was no one, nothing at all in the wide expanse of the rooftop. Not even clues. He glanced at his watch again. Two minutes left. Despite his earlier optimism, Naruto started to worry. He couldn't stand the thought that maybe he got the wrong building or worse, something bad might have happened to Itachi.

Naruto cursed in his head.

"Damn it. This is my fault. I should've…"

He stopped when he heard a distinctive and hard 'thump-thump' sound in the distance. Then it grew louder. He glanced at every direction, stopping at his left when he realized that the sound was more prominent there. He walked towards the direction and stopped a few feet away from the edge of the building, looking around the skies.

He heard that sound before. It's so familiar. _'But what was it?'_

Aside from the familiar rotor engine sound, Naruto felt the wind getting stronger as well. He could feel his shirt and pants swaying and rippling harshly in the wind. He could also feel his body being pushed back a bit.

Instinctively, Naruto glanced down.

"What… the hell?"

Naruto whispered breathlessly when he caught sight of quite a huge helicopter ascending the 60-story skyscraper. Dumbfounded, he started staggering away from the edge, feeling his knees wobble at the force of the wind. It was taking all of his strength and weight to just remain standing and not get carried away by the wind.

Seeing the main rotor and the head of the chopper slowly emerging from the edge of the rooftop, Naruto halted in his steps and waited. The cabin was open. He felt awfully relieved when he saw the person he's looking for.

"Itachi!" Naruto shouted, flailing his arms above his head. He didn't realize it was wrong to do that, apparently.

"Get down!" Itachi shouted back, motioning with his hands. "Move back."

The sound of the spinning blades and the rotor engines were too loud, causing the blond to press his hands on his ears. He crouched down low and moved away.

The helicopter neared the landing area, its long metal feet hanging in the air for a moment before it finally landed on the concrete, the speed of the spinning blades slowing down, the loud engine sound beginning to dissipate.

The older Uchiha jumped down from the cabin and approached the blond slowly, crouched down as well. The blond however did not wait and rushed towards the other.

Naruto threw his arms around the raven, embracing the other like a lifeline.

"You. Damn you." Naruto mumbled against the other's neck. "Where have you been? You got me so _fucking_ worried."

The raven's body relaxed. He patted the blond's head gently. "I should ask you the same question, Naruto-kun. You didn't call back."

Naruto did not answer and instead buried himself deeper into the other's chest.

One pale hand gripped the blond's shoulder and pushed away gently, creating a small space between them. The other pale hand rested on the blond's head.

Itachi ran his fingers through the blond locks, down to the blond's cheek slowly, then finally to the chin. The long fingers gripped the chin gently and lifted the blond's face. The older Uchiha stared into the other's eyes.

"What happened to you? Are you…?"

"M'fine." Naruto replied curtly, face tensing.

Itachi sighed then moved his face closer to the blond's. Their lips were almost touching, but then Naruto turned his face away.

"Sorry. I can't."

With a shaky voice, Naruto looked back at Itachi. "We can't do this anymore, _nii-san. _I'm sorry."

"…."

The blond closed his eyes. His lips were trembling and he could feel his eyes watering behind closed lids. "Sasuke and I… I know we can never be together. I know that he hates me now and whatever we do, we'll just keep hurting each other. But damn it, I still… I still _love that bastard._"

Naruto lowered his head. "I love him." He whispered brokenly, staring at the small blobs of water pooling beside his shoes. Vaguely, he wondered if it was raining.

"…I understand." Itachi said after a while. He placed his hands on the blond's shoulders again and pulled him closer, enveloping the latter into a firm hug. "I understand, Naruto-kun. I won't…"

"**Get away from him!"**

A shout alerted the two.

Naruto's body stiffened in shock, feeling as though his heart had stopped when he saw Sasuke aiming a gun at Itachi.

"Sasuke, wait!" Immediately, the blond went in front of the older Uchiha, his arms extended to protect the other, shaky fingers and all. His thoughts were all jumbled up. He looked at Sasuke, then to the gun, then to _the bastard_ again. He forced his mouth to open.

"Don't shoot. God, Sasuke, put that gun down."

"Shut up." The raven moved forward, his gun still pointing at the two. "Move away, _usuratonkatchi._ This is none of your _fucking_ business."

Tone so hard and gripping, Naruto almost pulled back. But he stood his ground.

"No, you bastard. The day you adopted me was the day you made this whole bull-crap my _fucking_ business, so you shut up. I have enough of this—"

"I said, shut the _fuck up_ Naruto." Sasuke bared his teeth at the blond. "You don't understand anything. You've never met your real family. Your real mother. You have no right to say anything here."

Naruto felt something stab his heart. He bit his lip, willing the sad thoughts away. "No, I won't. I won't stop talking until you put that gun down." Naruto stepped forward once, bringing his hands up in a placating manner. The raven remained undeterred, the gun still pointed at them.

"Don't do this, Sasuke. This will not solve anything. Just let us go."

"Back off, Naruto."

"No…"

"Naruto-kun."

The blond felt a strong grip on his shoulder and then he was being pulled away. Itachi has dragged him back. The raven is now in front of the blond, shielding the other.

Itachi turned towards the driver in the cockpit.

"If something happens to me, please take Naruto-kun to the designated place."

The driver nodded as a response.

"Itachi, what—?" Naruto was looking at the older Uchiha wide-eyed. "We're both leaving, right? What the hell are you saying now?"

Itachi did not respond and instead looked back at the other raven. "Sasuke." He called out, moving slowly towards the other.

"Itachi." Sasuke uttered, venom dripping in his voice.

"Do you want to kill me?"

The only response Itachi got was Sasuke raising the gun higher and pointing it directly to the older man's chest. But the latter did not waver and continued pacing forward, staring directly at his younger brother's eyes.

"Can you do it now, _otouto_? You failed to do it before." Itachi continued, no hint of fear or any other emotion lacing his voice. Naruto could only watch in fear as the older Uchiha closed in on the younger raven.

"…When mother died, you just watched me walk away."

A loud shot resonated in the area.

Sasuke has fired his first shot – the bullet grazing Itachi's left shoulder. The latter gripped his wounded arm, hissing quietly at the burning feel.

"Itachi!" Naruto ran forward.

"Don't." Itachi gritted out, glancing back at Naruto. "Stay where you are, Naruto." Even with the wound, Itachi's voice remained cool and imposing and despite his growing panic, the blond stopped in his tracks.

Itachi looked back at Sasuke. He straightened his posture and started moving forward again.

"You hesitated again." Itachi halted in his steps, the barrel of the gun now touching his chest. Sasuke was glaring at him heatedly, digging the gun deeper into the other's chest.

"I don't." Sasuke grated out.

"No, _Sasuke__." _Itachi shook his head slightly._ "_In spite of everything you've been through, you still hesitate. Do you want to know why, little brother?"

The younger raven gripped the gun tighter. He did not respond.

"Because deep inside, you don't want to do this."

"…."

"You're not that cruel. You're not like me, Sasuke. You're still just a kid… afraid of letting go."

At this, Sasuke's eyes widened a bit, his hold on the gun unconsciously loosening.

Itachi continued. "You can't let go of anything. In your whole life, you only love very few things, _otouto_. And the less you love, the deeper you cherish them, the more you are protective of them…

…You have loved mother more than I could ever have. You have loved her so much that you can never let her go. Even with the pain she's going through, you cannot let her go."

At this, Itachi wrapped his hands on the younger raven's. Without batting an eyelid, he quickly twisted Sasuke's elbows, effectively dislodging the gun from the shocked Uchiha.

Sasuke dropped the gun to the floor. Wasting no time, Itachi kneed the other in the gut, forcing the latter to crouch down. Itachi weighed his hands on the other's shoulders. The younger raven gritted his teeth as he was forced to kneel down.

"That's why I did it, _otouto._" Itachi continued. "I let _her_ go. I won't stand to see her suffer anymore."

"…."

"If you really love someone, Sasuke, you have to learn to let them go."

"No…"

"Do you love Naruto?"

Sasuke was stunned into silence. Though his guard remained, Itachi's expression softened. He already knew the answer but he still wanted to hear the younger Uchiha say it. "Do you love him?" He repeated.

The younger raven just stared back at him, unmoving.

"He doesn't belong in our world, Sasuke. In _your _world. You cannot protect him. He'll suffer too."

"…."

"Let him go, _otouto_…

…Let _**us**_ go." Itachi said finally.

"…."

Gradually, Sasuke lowered his head. He stared at his hands marred by Itachi's blood, the deep dark crimson a stark contrast to his ashen skin.

_**Let us go.**_

_Let __**him **__go._

Sasuke closed his eyes tight, jaws tightening and teeth clenching behind his lips.

Seeing the other distracted, Itachi turned around slowly and made his way towards the chopper. He failed to notice the younger raven opening his eyes again and slowly picking up the gun. He only noticed something amiss when he looked at Naruto's frightened expression.

Before Itachi could react, the blond was running towards him.

"I cannot let him go. He _**belongs**_ to me."

A blur of orange and another loud shot echoed in the area, prompting a flock of birds nearby to fly to the heavens. They filled the skies with their frightened cries.

"_Hey bastard, you don't ever smile do you?"_

"_Shut up. And get out of my bed."_

_The blond pretended he did not hear anything and sprawled his arms and legs more, relishing in the softness of the mattress. "I can't understand it. You have all these things, and you're still so lonely. Why?"_

"_I'm not…" Sasuke swiveled his chair to face the other, ready to deny what the other said. His words died in his throat though as the blond suddenly appeared in front of his face._

_Tan fingers made its way on his face, gripping his cheeks. "Come on smile, teme."_

_The raven slapped the hands away. "Don't touch me."_

"_Aw. Little Sasuke doesn't like to be touched." Naruto chuckled softly. "How about a hug then for the lonely boy? No? A kiss then!"_

"_Get out of my room, orphan."_

_The blond smiled. He approached the raven slowly. Then, as if nothing happened, he hugged the other. "Smile. You're very blessed, Sasuke. You're very lucky. Don't you ever forget that."_

_And the blond let go. He gave the other a two-finger mock-salute before walking away._

"_Have a nice night, teme. Beware of the spiders though." Naruto looked back at Sasuke, grinning. "I've put them under your pillows."_

"_You idiot! Get back here!"_

"_Oh I love you too, teme." The blond rushed out of the room, laughing madly in the hallways._

Sasuke dropped his gun, fingers shaking.

"Naruto!" Itachi shouted, grasping the blond's shoulder as the latter stumbled back. The raven sat down, bringing the other into a lying position.

Naruto was staring up into the skies, his eyes glazed over. He could feel nothing, just the heaviness on his chest. The bullet must have pierced a lung because it felt like he's drowning in his own blood, the insides of his mouth filling up with that coppery liquid.

"Hang in there, Naruto." Itachi tried to assure him, but even with a darkening vision, the blond could make out the dark look written all over the raven's face. Guessing from the other's expression, _it doesn't look too good_.

Naruto felt a movement near him. He squinted his eyes to his side and focused.

_'Ah, Sasuke.'_

"I'm sorry _teme_." The blond tried to smile, gasping and stuttering in between breaths. "I haven't said goodbye."

"Ssh." The younger raven was gripping his hand now.

"Try not to sleep, Naruto. Please do not sleep. Don't close your eyes." Naruto felt a hand under his knee and another bracing his back. Someone was lifting him. "We're going to take you to the hospital."

Itachi motioned to the driver who hurriedly opened the cabin. They went in.

"Please don't close your eyes."

"Sure." Naruto gasped out, eyes sliding closed.

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted.

The single door of the rooftop burst open, several armed personnel rushing inside. They stopped when a heavy lash of wind assaulted them.

The chopper was already flying off into the air.

* * *

_My body is a cage_

_that keeps me from dancing_

_with the one I love._

_.._

_I'm living in an age_

_Whose name I don't know _

_Though my fear keeps me moving_

_Still my heart beats so slow_

_.._

_Still my heart beats so slow_

_**Still my heart beats so slow…**_

_"My Body is a Cage" by Arcade Fire_

* * *

(TBC) Part 4/6

To everyone who supports this story, **thank you so much.** I apologize for the delays.


	5. Break

**RATED M for Adult Themes**

**Part 5/6**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Break**

"BP's dropping. He's crashing. I need a crash cart, stat!" Tsunade called out.

A crash cart was immediately pushed towards the female doctor. Alarms sounding, she looked up in the monitor, thin brows painfully creasing as she recognized the patient.

"Pulse rate is down. Temp's dropping." Tsunade announced faintly, more to herself than to the nurses surrounding her. She glanced briefly at the people around her, amber eyes widening a bit when she noticed the two Uchihas loitering very close to the stretcher. There is a slight moment of pause when her gaze locked on with the eldest of Fugaku's sons.

'_Itachi..? What in the world…?'_

The alarm sounded again.

"Get them out of here. Charge the paddles." The female doctor instructed, refocusing her attention on the patient.

"Sirs, stay back." One nurse called out, thin arms stretched as she tried to stop the two Uchihas from going inside the room. "Please wait here."

Itachi stopped, but Sasuke was undeterred.

"Sir! You're not allowed inside. Please get out." The nurse called out again as she followed the young raven inside.

"Security!"

"This is a sterile room. Get out, _brat_, or I'll kick you out myself." Tsunade warned, her voice still cold amidst the chaos.

The threat fell on deaf ears. Sasuke remained in his spot, eyes unblinking as he stared at Naruto's pallid face, tightly coiled fists quaking at his sides.

The alarm blared again, prompting a curse from the doctor. She ripped her gaze away from the raven.

"_Shit, _heart stopped. We're losing him. Paddles."

The operating nurse hastily pulled out the defibrillator paddles from the code cart. She handed them to the doctor.

Tsunade placed the paddles on the patient's bare chest.

"Charging. Clear."

The machine lit and delivered a jolt, shocking the patient back to life. There was no response. Tsunade tried again. Her grip on the paddles tensed when she received the same result.

"Charging. Clear."

Another jolt. The patient's body arched a bit, then fell back onto the bed again. The flat pulse rhythm remained unchanged.

"Charging." Tsunade said, almost resignedly. She knew another try would be pushing it. "Clear."

In the background, everybody watched the monitor in a dazed state, watching for any distortion to the even line.

_Nothing. _There was no change.

"Damn it, Naruto."

Tsunade flung the paddles mindlessly to the side. She placed her hands on the patient's chest, fingers interlocking to form a fist. With the heel of her palm deep into the blond's sternum, she took one deep breath before she started pressing downward, up, and back again. She repeated the chest compressions in a maddening, unrelenting pace. Seconds passed and she already lost count in the middle but she did not dare stop.

"Come on, _gaki._" Tsunade whispered. "Come on…"

_Breathe._

"You can fight this."

"…."

"Doctor…" voiced one of the medical staff. "Please stop. The patient's already…"

"…."

"Doctor."

Tsunade froze, dazed. Her fingers were shaking, knees buckling under the severe strain. She blinked a few times to get the sweat out of her eyes. Very slowly and reluctantly, she removed her hands from the patient's body. She turned to the monitor again.

'_Still no change.'_

"No sinus rhythm."

The doctor swallowed hard. It felt like a rock had settled in the back of her throat. She closed her eyes in mute anguish, breathing very slowly.

"Time… time of death, 2:04 pm."

"…."

Everyone stood still as silence reigned; Tsunade's words hung in the air like a grim indictment. In the background, the long beeping tone of the vitals flat-lining was the only sound that can be heard.

* * *

_The __**first**__ time __he saw him, he felt nothing. Numbly, his eyes raked over the pitiful state of the child lying in front of him. _

_The young raven knew he should feel something. A scrap of empathy for the child wouldn't hurt, but his heart refused to yield. He doesn't feel anything. It was as though his heart was carved out of stone. Utterly unfeeling. His was a dead heart._

_**cold-cold-cold. **_

_A heart chiseled to callous perfection. Hard. Unbreakable. Uchiha Sasuke thought his heart would never break._

_One pale hand ghost over the child's form, inching to touch the tan skin, but as inquisitive as the owner is, their skins never made contact. Long, white fingers merely settled on tracing the creases on the bandaged arm, slight interest flickering in his cool, dark eyes._

_He remembered what Kakashi said, what his words and the expression on his Father's face implied. He understood all so well what happened here; he's a genius after all._

"_Pity." The raven heard himself whisper. Nonetheless, it was a word without meaning. There was no trace of pity in his eyes._

_Noticing the crystal necklace around the child's neck, the raven gripped the gem between his fingers, the pad of his thumb absently stroking the smooth surface. It was beautiful. 'An heirloom perhaps?' he mused dimly. A child whore wearing such a gem, the raven's lips curved scathingly. "Pity indeed."_

_His thoughts froze when the unconscious child stirred, mumbling._

"_Nii-san… Itachi-nii…"_

"…_.!"_

_His world seemed to stop at that moment. The raven looked at the child with wide eyes, as if seeing him for the very first time. _

_Then, his shoulders started shaking, teeth clenching behind his lips, icy rage filling every fiber of his being. And the cold heart that stopped beating for a very long time started beating again. Madly in his chest. Pounding in a rhythm brimming with hatred._

_He heard a shout behind him but he ignored it. The raven gripped the child's necklace, held it tightly in his fist… then roughly ripped it away._

_And from his lips, he uttered a curse. _

"_I swear… I __**swear **__I will find you again." His dark eyes burned, narrowed. _

"_You will tell me where my brother is, I'll make sure of that."_

_And with that, he left; the gem gripped so tightly that his hand has started to bleed. _

_What had started as mild interest on the child ended with an obsession that will last for years._

**_._**

**_._**

_Two years._

_For two years, Uchiha Sasuke had done everything to track the child down. But all of his efforts were met in vain. After the hotel-room incident, he had never seen the child again, nor heard about him in news. He would learn much later that all of these were because of Danzo's crafty manipulation. Under the vice minister's orders, the child was effectively hidden away. _

_However as fate would have it, they met again. It was the __**second**__ time he laid eyes on the child. It was purely by chance, something that even the young heir had not anticipated. _

_The __**idiot **__had tried to rob him, of all things._

_As soon as their gazes locked, Sasuke immediately recognized him. The blond was taller, clearly no longer a child. His dark eyes stared at the scars embedded on the tan cheeks, remembering the thick gauzes that once covered them two years ago._

"_Let me go, asshole," he heard the blond shout. Sasuke felt a kick on his shin but he barely felt it._

_The raven held the other's wrist as tight as he could, wondering if he should just break it. The blond's wrist felt so thin in his grip. He could break it so easily. The other continued to shout and Sasuke started to wonder if he could clamp something on that mouth as well. _

_He settled for a solid punch on the face. His knuckles throbbed as he withdrew his fist. There was a crack. He must have broken the other's jaw._

_But he doesn't care._

_Sasuke stared impassively as the other slowly rose from the pavement, tan fingers feeling the bloodied lip. There is a slight wince as the blond stroked his jaw. The raven expected fear in those lively, blue eyes. A hint of intimidation perhaps, but there was none._

_The blond looked him in the eye, teeth bared in sheer fury and determination. Another round of expletives leaked out from those cracked, tan lips and the blond charged again._

_For the first time in a long time, the raven felt his blood boil. But this time, it wasn't out of anger or annoyance. Sasuke felt heat spreading throughout his body, muscles rippling beneath his skin in anticipation, a surge of rare thrill filling him. This feeling, it rendered him speechless._

_They fought._

_And at that very moment, he felt… __**alive**__._

_**.**_

**_._**

_They say the third time's the charm. _

_For the __**third**__ time, Sasuke encountered the child again but this time, it was not out of pure chance. The raven had really intended to locate him again. It seemed as if the idiot had left the Center. 'Escaped' must have been the more appropriate term. _

_Unacceptable, Sasuke thought. How dare that idiot mock his authority. _

_The found the blond sitting next to a long line of people waiting for free food. The charity line extended all the way to the second street, almost obscuring the blond from view. _

_The blond glared at him immediately, told him to go away, and cursed at him. It was clear that their presence was unwanted. But again, Sasuke doesn't care. However, he did not miss the bruised wrists and the glazed look in those blue eyes. The blond was apparently 'high.'_

_-__**filthy scum. **__A fleeting look of disgust flash in Sasuke's eyes. Even at this moment, he could not feel pity for this child. This was a child that will do anything for money, for attention, and all of the ugly things this world had to offer. He hated him, hated his guts, hated his very existence. He longed for him to suffer._

_In a barely controlled voice, Sasuke explained, suggested the other to return to the foundation, but his words fell to deaf ears. The blond would have none of that. And for all his effort, he only received a lungful of smoke on his face and a vomit on his shoe. He lost his favored coat as well._

_But it doesn't matter._

_That night, he burned the orphan's house down. _

_He couldn't deny the satisfaction that filled him as he watched the rickety pillars of the orphan's house go down one by one. As he watched the flames dancing in the air and the dark ashes leaving an imprint to the immaculate snow-covered ground, a gloating rare smile twisted his lips. This is his first taste of revenge and he loved it – knew right then and there that he will crave it from then on. _

"_Why… why…?" he heard the blond mumble in between chokes and whimpers. _

_For the briefest moment, the raven stilled. It was the first time he saw the orphan cry in front of him. _

_The raven's chest tightened at the sight, and though he tried to tell himself over and over again that it was worth it, the sneer that painted his face did not last very long._

_He regretted the fact that he looked. He shouldn't have._

_Because at that very moment…. he started to __**feel. **_

"_Damn you." Sasuke cursed in his head; hate swelling up in his gut. _

_**-bury it.**_

_Bury it._

_And he did. _

_The raven clenched his fists and without so much of a sidelong glance, he walked away, his men following behind him, leaving the orphan alone and shivering in the cold._

* * *

_Still, his heart refused to feel. It was a heart carved to perfection. Hard and unyielding._

_Uchiha Sasuke thought his heart would never break. _

* * *

_They met again the __**fourth**__ time. _

_As soon as their eyes locked, the blond charged at him again. The raven's eyes widened a bit. For what he did, he simply expected fear and dread in those blue eyes. But again, there was nothing in those depths but pure, unadulterated anger directed at him._

"_You… motherfucker you…!" The raven's guards immediately stopped the orphan from advancing but that did not stop the latter from pummeling the air with his fists._

_Two middle fingers were raised. "Eat shit, you motherfucking bastard," shouted the blond, uncaring that his high-pitched voice had drawn in a crowd. _

_The guards were shocked to say the least. It was as if the orphan still had not learned his lesson. Does it still matter, though? The Uchiha had already taken everything away from him._

"_Too scared to fight me, huh? Always with your guards, ain't you, you pretty boy?"_

_Sasuke easily dismissed the jibe and responded with his own._

"_Tell me, orphan. Where are you sleeping now?"_

_The blond visibly stilled. He gritted his teeth and looked away._

_The Uchiha sneered and walked towards the struggling boy. _

"_I'm curious. Where?"_

"…_."_

_A pale hand reached out and gripped the other's jaw, forcing the other to look him in the eye. "So I can burn it too."_

"_Fuck you." The blond spat out._

_The grip on the other's face tightened, nails digging into flesh. "I assure you, __**that**__ is not the only thing I can and will do. You __**do not**__ want to cross me."_

"_Let go of me, you…" _

"_Stop struggling or I'll break your neck."_

_The blond froze; his eyes wide. For the very first time since they met, Sasuke saw a glimmer of fear swimming in those eyes. It didn't last long though as the blond started to thrash again, a string of curses bursting from his lips._

_The raven's jaw clenched – annoyance very clear in his features. He let go of his hold before backhanding the blond across the face with much force. _

_The blond yelped. A thin trail of blood gushed from a bitten lip. He wiped it with shaking fingers._

"_Take him to the car."_

_Forcefully ushered to the car, the orphan did not struggle anymore. He just settled on glaring at the Uchiha with much more anger than before. And Sasuke, much as he restrained himself, glared back._

_Two souls of unbearable sadness stared at each other, unblinking. A connection formed. _

_Neither realized that it was a start of a relationship that would inevitably heal… and __**break**__ them both._

**_._**

**_._**

"_From now on, you are an Uchiha. You belong to this family." The raven uttered, pausing as he looked at the orphan directly. He resumed, "That means we are brothers now."_

_The blond did not respond but look at the raven with wide, disbelieving eyes._

_Sasuke showed a folder to the blond. "I doubt you could understand this but so you know, these are your adoption papers. You are going to live here from now on."_

"..._Do you understand?"_

"_I…" The blond mouthed, suddenly unable to find his voice. "Wait. Back up. What… did you say? I am what?" He asked breathlessly._

"_Idiot." Sasuke said in annoyance. He does not like repeating himself. He grabbed the folder again and tossed it towards the blond. "Just read the damn file and get out of my office."_

_The orphan clutched the folder in his hands. He opened the folder carefully and very slowly, as if it was a delicate object. His eyes stared at the papers for a moment before he looked at the raven again._

"_I…" The blond swallowed hard. His face was flushed. "I can't… read."_

_Sasuke paused in his writing._

"_I uh… No one in the orphanage taught me how to. I can count fine though."_

_The raven looked up. The orphan had his head lowered, one hand scratching the back of his head nervously._

"_But I can't… I still can't read. Heh, I don't even know how to spell my name. I just know it sounds freakin' awesome." The blond chuckled softly._

_"..."_

_The blond looked up, meeting the Uchiha's gaze. "Look, bastard, just explain it to me. It wouldn't hurt to just say it. I'm sure I can understand it."_

_The raven put his pen down, feeling his annoyance ebbing away. He stood up from his chair and walked towards the blond. The latter immediately stiffened, not knowing what the raven would do._

_Sasuke grabbed the folder from the other's grasp. He flipped to the first page and displayed it in front of the blond. With his finger, he traced the blond's name._

"_Naruto Uzumaki-Uchiha." The raven uttered slowly, in a voice much gentler, much lower than before. _

_The blond watched in dazed fascination. His eyes followed the movement of the finger as the raven repeated his name again._

"_That is how your name looks like. Remember it well."_

"_Oh…" The blond clutched the folder again, his gaze fixed on the bold letters of his name._

_Sasuke began explaining the first name and the two surnames and the blond listened with rapt attention. Any initial hint of animosity between them had seemingly faded away. _

_Finally, after a long time, the blond spoke again._

"_So… I have a family now? You're my brother?" _

"_Yes. I am your brother and Uchiha Fugaku is your Father." The raven turned around and returned to his seat._

"_I can't believe it. I have a family." The orphan repeated again, more to himself this time. "I have… a family." _

"_Sasuke!" The blond called out._

"_Tch. What?"_

_The blond graced him a toothy smile; his blue eyes more vibrant and alive than ever. He's hugging the folder tightly to his chest as if it was the most precious gift in the world._

"_I have a family."_

"…_."_

_Sasuke stilled, dazed. It was the first time he saw the blond smile – a real smile. And for all it's worth, the raven couldn't deny that it was the most beautiful and genuine thing he had ever seen in his life. The blond was a picture of pure, child-like happiness. _

'_I have a family.'_

_At that moment, Sasuke felt something bubble up inside him, a warm feeling gripping his heart._

_It was an unfamiliar emotion._

'_No…'_

'_Bury it.' _

_**Bury it.**_

_**Bury it deep.**_

_His fists clenched. He couldn't accept __**him**__. Not ever. Sasuke tore his eyes away._

"_If you're done, get out." He snapped. And just like that, the moment was gone._

_Sasuke glimpsed a disappointed look on the blond's face but he ignored it all the same._

_A long, awkward pause passed before a booming "fine, you jerk-ass bastard" was heard. The blond stuck his tongue out at the other and loudly stormed outside the room, muttering curses all the way._

_When the blond was finally gone, the raven gripped his pen tight, breaking it in half. He tossed it aside with a heated snarl._

_He leaned back against his chair and rested an arm on his eyes. _

"_Damn you…_

…_**Damn you, **__Uzumaki__**.**__"_

_I hate you_

**.**

**.**

_In glaring red. The blond's name was spelled out in glaring red all over the mansion's white walls - painted on the hallways, on every single door and glass window of the Uchiha manor. Unfortunately, no part of the house was spared. _

_Written in big bold crimson letters and childish penmanship, this is how Uzumaki - Uchiha Naruto saw it fit to properly (and shamelessly) introduce himself to everyone living in the manor. _

_He grinned as he looked at his masterpiece, rubbing his face with a paint-smeared hand._

_The maids were horrified. The guards looked amused._

_Uchiha Fugaku's eyes twitched a few times at the sudden drastic change in his house. It was late and he was very tired. He just arrived from a grueling two-day conference in China. This is not how he imagined coming home that night._

_Immediately, he summoned his adopted son to his office, scowling visibly at the other's vagrant appearance._

_The blond looked like he'd just woken up and there's paint smeared practically everywhere in his body._

"_Explain." the patriarch demanded, though he believed that no amount of explanation would save the orphan this time. This was, so far, the worst prank the blond had thought of and he had only been here for barely a week._

_As expected, the blond gave a nervous grin, scratched the back of his neck and faced the floor in fleeting embarrassment. "Well Dad, you see…"_

_The slight flinch to the 'Dad-term' was unnoticeable but it was there. Though Fugaku paid no comment, it was undeniable that he still feel a bit uncomfortable being addressed so informally._

"_I thought you weren't coming home yet…_

…_I was planning to clean this mess up before you come home but – haha – you're here now. Don't you worry, this paint comes off easily. These will all be gone before you know it, I promise." _

_The blond looked at Fugaku again, both hands extended. "And oh, welcome home Dad! How's your trip?"_

'_**Dad.'**_

_Fugaku heaved a tired and deep sigh; the deep scowl on his face already gone. The explanation was trite; the blond's appearance less than appealing; his house an absolute wreck, but for some reason, he couldn't stay angry._

_The blond took something from his pocket. It was a piece of paper. He unfolded it and laid it neatly on his father's desk. _

"_I've written your names too, 'Tou-san. You and Sasuke's. I think I'm getting the hang of it." One tan finger travelled beneath the centerfold of the paper. "This one right here is your name, see? I think it's the best. The curves and lines are just right. The bastard told me, eh, I mean Sasuke that I shouldn't grip the pen too tight. Turns out he's right." _

_At this, the blond gave a wider grin at the older man._

_And Fugaku, surprisingly, found himself smiling back. It was a mere curve of lips, rare and small, but the warmth he felt in his chest when the orphan smiled at him was more than he could ask for._

"_Son." He spoke, patting the boy's head gently, the small smile lingering on his lips._

"_My son…"_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_Sasuke scowled at the gibberish writings on the wall. This is an utter defacement of the house. Even the door of his room was not spared. He gritted his teeth in frustration. 'How dare that orphan.'_

"_You idiot, clean this mess up." The raven growled out._

"_Yeah, yeah I will. Quit being such a grouch." The blond muttered, grinning widely as he advanced towards the annoyed raven. _

"_But look here first." The blond showed the raven a piece of paper. "See? I've written our full names, bastard. This is yours, Dad's, and this one's mine. Better, huh?" The blond wagged an eyebrow playfully at the other. "Much, much better than yesterday. I think I'm improving."_

_Sasuke glanced at the paper indifferently, giving a characteristic 'hn' as he quickly dismissed it and moved towards his desk._

"_What? That's it?"_

"…_."_

"_Hey don't ignore me, bastard. Come on, tell me what's wrong with it? Are the strokes too long? What about the lines? Should I change anything in the characters?"_

_Sasuke grasped his pen tightly. First thing in the morning and this is what he is subjected too. Infuriated, he glared at the other. "I don't have time for this, idiot. Just practice your writing somewhere else." _

"_But…"_

"_Leave."_

"_Sasuke—"_

"_I said get out." The raven gave him a piercing stare. "And clean up your mess."_

"…_." _

_The blond opened his mouth but nothing came out. His face displayed a mixed look of shock and disappointment at the blatant dismissal._

_Suddenly, the room felt too small. _

_No… it was __**he**__ who felt too small. _

_The paper crumpled in his grasp._

"_Fine." The blond said in between clenched teeth, his voice uncharacteristically lower. He turned around and walked towards the door. _

_But before he left, he glanced back at the raven. _

"_You know what bastard, just because you're freaking smart doesn't give you the right to look down on people or treat them like you're so much better than them. Because you know what, you're not perfect either. You're far from it. You're just a mean old miserable fucked-up bastard like the rest of us."_

_And with that, the blond threw the crumpled paper at the other. He glowered at the raven one last time before he left, his loud, heavy footsteps echoing in the hallways._

_Sasuke stared at the door, then to the piece of paper on the floor._

'…_**Miserable.'**_

_And without knowing why, he stood up and moved towards the crumpled paper. He picked it up and slowly unfolded it. _

_As expected, he saw his father's name, his, and then the orphan's. Their names were written repeatedly until the very end of the page. And true enough, the penmanship did get better in the succeeding lines. The characters were almost written perfectly in the end._

_He turned to the back of the page._

_His eyes widened. _

_His name— "Uchiha Sasuke"_

_-was written over and over again in the entirety of the back-page. There were barely any spaces left in the paper and no other names other than his. _

_Dazed, his gaze travelled downwards._

_Written in a slightly smaller font than the rest were three words. The characters were written clumsily, in a barely recognizable hiragana but despite this, the raven still recognized it. _

"_**Aniki**__-bastard__**. Arigatou.**__**"**_

_Sasuke tried to swallow but there was a catch in his throat. His jaw clenched painfully. He could feel something stirring in him. He closed his eyes, forcing the feeling away._

_He immediately crushed the paper in his hand and threw it away._

_**.**_

_._

_From then on, it was a whole new different story._

_The blond, much to the raven's annoyance, became more determined in besting him – exerting much effort in improving himself, mentally and physically, to surpass him._

_For months, the orphan buried himself in books, in Iruka's endless, grueling lessons, and in Kakashi's support and guidance. They taught him a lot of things. It didn't take long before he learned how to read, write, and calculate on his own. He learned so much and he was so proud of it. _

_He wasn't a perfect student. He'd slacked off or ran away most of the time. He'd admit that he had a lot of difficulties but amidst all of his flaws and failures, the blond persevered. He toiled so hard and gave his all._

_All for the sake of one goal._

_Acceptance._

_It was a long shot, he knew. All his life, he worked so hard to be accepted by the people around him. And though all his efforts have never worked out, he never lost hope._

_He believed that surpassing the Uchiha was the only thing that could make his adoptive brother acknowledge him, or at the very least, treat him as a human being._

_Thus, it was a rivalry that started with a promise._

"_I'm better than you, Uchiha and I'll prove it to you even if that's the last thing I do," exclaimed the blond one day when he was blatantly ignored again. "I promise you that. I swear…"_

"_You're all talk, orphan. You can't even touch me," the raven said as he taunted the other with a beckoning hand._

_The blond bristled. "Oh yeah? Wanna bet on that, princess?"_

"_Hn."_

_Like always, the blond would charge first, fist pulled up and shouting at the top of his lungs as he ran._

_And like always, it would be his blood that would splatter and rain down on the perfectly mowed lawn. Dark red would taint the vibrant green, and damn it, it would hurt. It would fucking hurt._

_He should have expected it. In all of their fights, the Uchiha had never lost. Not even once. _

_The day would end with the blond's body sprawled out on the ground, out cold. Seconds before he passed out however, he'd feel the raven hovering over his form, watching, waiting. And then, without saying a word, he'd walk away. _

_Kakashi would always be there at his side when he wakes up; a towel and a first aid kit in hand. He knew there's a frown behind that mask. He could feel it. _

"_You try too hard, Naruto." Kakashi said one day, his voice almost sounding wistful._

"…_.Heh, I know." The blond swallowed the blood on his tongue, lips quivering into a strained smile. He remained still for a very long time; his blue eyes gazing at the skies with a longing look. _

"_I know." He repeated, his voice losing all the mirth it previously had. "…But what choice do I have, Kakashi-san, if I don't try too hard..?"_

_And like always, the blond would end the conversation with a smile, despite the aches and pain all over his body and despite another rejection he faced today. _

_Tomorrow is another day, he'd tell himself over and over again. _

_And over and over again, he would fail._

* * *

_Because his was a heart chiseled to perfection-_

_Everyone thought it was a heart __**that would never, ever break.**_

* * *

_"I'm sorry __teme__," Naruto gasped out, his mouth filling with blood. "…I haven't said goodbye…."_

"_Shh.." The raven held on to his hand, gripping it tight. His other hand was pressed heavily on the blond's chest, applying pressure on the wound. "Don't talk. Don't talk anymore. Don't close your eyes, Naruto." _

'_Don't you dare. Don't you fucking dare.'_

"_Hang in there, you… you idiot. Don't sleep."_

"_...Sure bas…tard." Naruto said, smiling faintly; despite this, his eyelids started to close. _

"_Naruto!" Sasuke gripped the blond's jaw hard, fingers digging into the paling face. "Naruto-! Damn you I said…"_

_His voice was drowned out by the loud thumping sound of the spinning blades. But even then, he didn't stop shouting the blond's name._

-And at that very moment, the perfectly sculpted heart began to **crack**.

* * *

"Time… time of death, 2:04 pm."

Everyone stopped moving. It felt like time itself had slowed down; the droning sound of the machine flat-lining now sounding so distant.

Fleeting, anxious glances were thrown at the female doctor, waiting for final instructions. There were none. Tsunade herself looked lost as she stared at the monitor.

And then, without a warning, they heard a shout, a name being called out. Before they could even react, Uchiha Sasuke was already at the side of the stretcher, one coiled fist pounding roughly – frantically—on the blond's chest.

The loud _thump-thump_ sound of the fisted hand hitting the blond's chest suppressed even the sound of the droning machine.

Stunned, the medics could only stare at the raven, eyes wide and unable to move. One operating nurse was so distracted that she fiddled with the ER phone for a while, before she finally started dialing.

"Security. There's a man here in the ER, fifth floor…" She almost dropped the phone when another shout resounded in the room.

Again, a name was said, growled out this time. Desperate. The voice sounded so desperate; but the pounding did not stop; the outcry unceasing.

"Wake up. Goddamn you, Uzumaki. Wake up…

…Naruto!"

Again and again, the name was cried out as the hammering continues. It continued for a long while until the loud voice thinned and descended into a mere rumble; until the words were reduced into incoherent whispers; and until the force of the blows finally started to weaken.

Utterly drained, Sasuke stopped moving.

"Naruto…" The raven called out in a fainter voice. His hand started to throb; his voice strained due to overuse.

"_Fucking _idiot. Wake up." The raven hissed through clenched teeth. He could hear the tremor in his own voice. There was anger there. Anguish. Hopelessness. And most of all, **most of all**…

/fear/

His eyes burned. He could taste salt in his tongue.

"Idiot." He repeated, hands grasping the younger man's shoulders. "Wake up. Open your _fucking_ eyes, Naruto. Come on, you moron."

**Live.**

"Live. Breathe. Don't…"

_-don't die. don't leave me. don't. __**don't**__ you fucking dare._

"Naruto… _Please._"

"…."

/I'm sorry/.

Bit by bit, his face lowered until his forehead rested on the other's unmoving chest. He could feel no heartbeats; the metallic smell of blood assaulting his nostrils as he desperately breathed in the other's scent; as he desperately held on to the unconscious man.

_Another crack cleaved its way across the heart. At that very moment, he could hear his own heart breaking._

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"…."

The double doors of the room burst open. Several armed personnel rushed inside and grabbed the raven's shoulders and elbows, forcefully pulling him away from the stretcher. The young Uchiha did not even resist. He remained rigid; his head still lowered, long dark bangs concealing the expression on his face.

"…!"

_Beep... Beep... Beep._

Distortions started to appear in the monitor.

"We… we're getting sinus rhythm," announced one of the nurses.

All occupants of the room looked at the monitor at once. There was an audible gasp from one of the medics. _Impossible. _Even Tsunade stood stock-still for a brief moment… before she finally got her bearings and jumped to action immediately.

But first—

"Get him out of here." Tsunade ordered the guards as she glared directly at the Uchiha, not missing the disbelieving expression of the latter. Eyes wide, mouth agape, Sasuke looked like he's seen a ghost.

"We're going to stabilize the patient. Now, get out."

At that, Uchiha Sasuke was taken out of the room.

* * *

"He hadn't left the hospital, Uchiha-sama. He'd been here since yesterday afternoon... Naruto-kun had just been transferred from the ICU... Yes, he's stable now... Yes, I understand. Yes... I'll tell him." Kakashi bid the other goodbye and snapped his phone shut. Staring at the door, he took a deep breath before he entered the room.

The curtains were drawn out. Through the window, Kakashi could see that dusk was beginning to settle, long shadows stretching across the unlit room. The young Uchiha must have opened the curtains during the afternoon and have neglected to close it. At that time, he remembered Sasuke staring at the windows thoughtfully and murmuring how Naruto liked watching sunsets. After that, he became silent again. Those were the only words the raven said to him that day.

Against his better judgment, Kakashi turned to the lights and flipped them open. Once his eyes adjusted to the lighting, he glanced at the two occupants of the room.

Sitting very close to the side of Naruto's bed, Sasuke seemed to be sleeping. His eyes were closed, head a bit lowered and arms crossed over his chest. He's sitting very straight. Even in his sleep, the raven doesn't look relaxed. Naruto, on the other hand, looked peaceful in his unconscious form, despite the endless layers of gauzes and numerous tubes – saline, transfusion packets, IV drips, and other medications – wrapped around and attached to his body.

Kakashi walked silently towards the window. He was going to close the curtains when he felt a movement.

He glanced back and noticed Sasuke awake. Kakashi also noticed that the young Uchiha was still wearing his blood-soaked polo from yesterday. The white-haired assistant turned to the suitcase at the side of the door and noted that it was untouched. It looked like Sasuke did not even bother to change.

The raven glanced at him fleetingly, not bothering to greet him, before looking back at the blond, his once-hardened gaze dissolving into a softer look. Sasuke stood up and gently smoothed Naruto's hair back. The act was so unbearably gentle that it triggered a few related scenes in Kakashi's memory. Even back then, the raven had never been wary in showing his affections for the blond. Who could have thought that their relationship would evolve to this level? Two years ago, they couldn't even be at the same room without scratching the other's eyeballs out.

_Naruto was the force that changed everything._

Kakashi sighed wearily. In the past, he thought it was a good thing. The blond was certainly a good influence. He brought smiles and laughter to the Uchiha family; brought light to Sasuke's darkening world; and brought hope everywhere he goes. But then, looking at Sasuke right now, Kakashi can't help but feel that his initial assumption cannot always be right. Basing from the recent events, it became exceedingly apparent that Naruto can bring out the best and the utter **worst** in the Uchiha.

Kakashi cleared his throat before speaking. "Uchiha-dono. I have already informed your Father. He said he'll be cutting back his time in the EU conference to be here as soon as he can."

A pause, then a deep voice replied.

"What did you tell him?"

"What you said I should."

Sasuke looked directly at Kakashi, silently demanding a follow-up.

The older man caught it and continued. "He believed it. Your version of the story, that is."

"Good." The raven returned his gaze to the sleeping man. He seemed a bit relaxed now.

There was a long moment of silence before Kakashi spoke again.

"What are we going to do about your brother?" he asked, referring to Itachi.

"Nothing." Sasuke replied. His movement had stopped.

Eyes narrowing, he looked back at the older man. "I'll be the one to take care of him."

Kakashi inwardly winced at the words. _This is bad_, he thought gravely. Clenching his fists, he nodded respectfully at the Uchiha, then walked towards the door. Before leaving however, he didn't fail to notice the Uchiha slowly leaning in towards the blond. He immediately tore his gaze away and left without a word.

* * *

**(TBC) - Part 5/6**

I couldn't resist. To Powder-_chan, _you are my muse. Thank you so much.

**To everyone **again, I extend my deepest, sincerest gratitude.

(One last chapter to go..!)


	6. Rain

**(Four Years Ago)**

_It was snowing awfully that night. The biting cold seeped into his bones without mercy._

_His shivering hand rose and clasped the thin fabric over his chest, straining to feel the necklace that was no longer there._

_He lost it._

_He lost his mother's necklace. It was the only thing his parents have ever left him. Their very last memory. And he **lost **it._

_"Stupid." Naruto muttered to himself, teeth chattering from the cold._

_The shivering hand on his chest tightened into a fist. His eyes burned._

_"Stupid…" He heard himself whisper again. A wisp of cold air escaped his bluish, quivering lips. Amidst the cold, he could feel hot tears racing down his paling cheeks._

_Funny how he always believed there would be nothing more he could lose._

_Burying his arms in his tattered coat, he forced his legs to move. Every step was painful and he had to bite his lip from crying out in pain. His thighs felt like they were rubbed raw and his lower back felt like it was on fire. He doubted if he could ever sit again._

_"So stupid…" He said one last time._

_People passed by him. Naruto lowered his head; staring at the ground in __**shame** as he limped through the streets he called his home._

* * *

**Chapter 6: Rain**

**(Part 1)**

There's comfort in silence, he believed. But even then, Kakashi knew that when silence stretched out for far too long, it can become almost suffocating. _Unbearable._

Kakashi cleared his throat, piercing the veil of silence that filled the room. "Shall we go, Sasuke-dono?" He asked.

There was no response. Another stifling minute passed before the young Uchiha finally moved.

Even as he stood up, Sasuke's eyes had never left the sleeping form of his adopted brother; his intense gaze lingering far more than usual. In the background, the low, steady beeping of the heart monitor can be heard. The glass windows were opened slightly, allowing the gentle, cool air to breeze through the room.

Sasuke inched towards the bed. Resting one hand on top of the blond's head, he lowered his face. Sasuke's lips closed in and pressed on the blond's forehead.

At that moment, Kakashi looked away. It was not a rare or strange sight, but for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to look. Over the past few days, he realized that the tightening in his gut was getting harder and harder to ignore.

_Someone should end this._

It had already been almost two weeks. Naruto had not woken up, or showed any signs of improving. His vitals had been stabilized but he's still in a comatose state. In those two weeks, nothing had changed. Needless to say, this had got everyone teetering on edge. It could be worse, they all assumed. The doctors had never given them false hope. They always reminded them that every day, Naruto was battling for survival. His brain could just – without warning – permanently shut down. He could die any second.

The bullet had pierced a lung, a few centimeters just above the heart. If the aim had been lower, Naruto would've died on the spot. He could have never made it to the hospital. The blond was still breathing when he was rushed to the ER.

However, despite all of the doctors' efforts, Naruto still died on that table.

During the course of his operation, Naruto's heart had stopped beating. His blood drowned out all the oxygen in his lungs. Given the medical reports, Naruto was dead for four, long minutes. His pulse rates had flat-lined and he was announced and confirmed dead by the operating doctor (Tsunade) herself. Naruto Uzumaki had died that day.

But then, _something_ happened.

It could have been a miracle but Kakashi never really believed in those things. He was never a religious man.

"_The brat called out to him." Tsunade explained, her eyes narrowing as she recalled the memory. "You should've seen his face, Kakashi. And his voice. You should've heard it. It was…"_

_Tsunade became quiet for a long time. Dazedly, her fingers brushed the blond's long bangs out of his eyes. Then, she finally spoke; her grim eyes looking directly at Kakashi. "Desperate wouldn't even begin to describe it. He looked… mad."_

"_Who fired the shot, Kakashi?"_

"…_." The white-haired man did not answer. But somehow, Tsunade knew. Her lips pursed thinly._

"_If ever Naruto wakes up… don't let them get too close to each other, Kakashi." Tsunade said. "Don't let __**him **__get too close."_

_Too late. _Kakashi could have said that time. But he only nodded in response. Tsunade took one last glance at the blond before leaving the room with a troubled expression.

Since then, the Uchiha had never left the blond's side. For two whole weeks, he stayed in the hospital. He hacn't attended any of his classes or his meetings. It was as if his whole world only revolved around the four corners of the hospital room.

"Let's go."

Kakashi blinked. He had apparently zoned out. Sasuke was already making his way towards the door.

Without a word, Kakashi followed his lord outside.

* * *

The clenched fist descended repeatedly; hitting the soft flesh of the other man's face. Again and again, it continued to travel down until the owner of the hand was out of breath and the pale knuckles have grown red and bloodied.

Sasuke stopped, panting quietly. He straightened his posture; his dark eyes raking over the other's bruised form. Kakashi noted that Sasuke's expression was blank, withdrawn. There was no sign of guilt or recognition in those dark eyes. It was as if the man he's beating half to death is no relation to him. As if the man wasn't his own flesh and blood.

As if the man wasn't his _brother._

Itachi's head was tilted to the side, blood gushing steadily from his bloodied lip and cheek. Like Sasuke, Itachi had no expression on his face. His eyes never looked directly at his torturer. They held no emotions – no pain, grief, or even anger. They were as distant and unfeeling as his younger brother's.

Itachi's hands were chained above him; his feet cuffed to the metal floor. He was standing. Sasuke preferred it that way.

Another solid blow. This time on Itachi's gut. Kakashi heard the sound of punch. Above, the chains rang. It echoed rather loudly in the small room.

Itachi coughed up blood and spit. His jaw began to tremble slightly before they began to clench. Itachi gritted his teeth, hissing lowly. Kakashi guessed that it's the only evidence of pain Itachi would be willing to show.

For the whole hour of his torment, Itachi hadn't cried out in pain or uttered anything. He didn't flinch or try to avoid anything. He merely received all of Sasuke's blows like he deserved every single one of them.

Itachi's blood dripped down to the floor. Leaning to one side, Itachi's eyes were now closed and his knees were slightly bent. Despite his compusure, it was obvious that the injuries were starting to take a toll on his body.

Sasuke brought down his fist. He stared at Itachi for a while before he turned around.

For a moment, Kakashi thought it was over. But then, Sasuke grabbed the brass knuckles from the table and wore them on his fingers. He examined the knuckle rings as he clenched and unclenched his hands.

_Ah shit. _Kakashi mentally cursed. He rushed towards Sasuke, intending to stop him—

"I love him."

Kakashi stopped. He looked at the chained man.

Itachi's eyes were lowered to the floor. His face…

"I love him." Itachi repeated; his voice just above a whisper. Low and solemn. Despite the endless bruises that marred his body, his face still looked peaceful. Slowly, he lifted his head and for the very first time that day, he looked directly at Sasuke.

"But he chose you."

"…."

Kakashi saw Sasuke's shoulder tense. He knew the words stung. Knew, at that moment, that the words should _not_ have been said.

Kakashi didn't need to look at Sasuke's face to see the wrath brimming in those dark eyes. And as if to confirm his thoughts, Sasuke turned around and charged directly at his brother. Face filled with rage, Sasuke's hands wrapped around the other's neck, gripping it tightly.

"**You.** When…will you stop taking _everything_ from me?" Sasuke shouted through gritted teeth. There was venom in his voice. Tremor in his movements. In his eyes, there was pain. "You've taken all. You…"

"…."

"And now, _him_. He… He's dying and it's all your…"

Sasuke didn't finish it. His grip on the other's neck tightened, but Itachi remained very still. His eyes closed slowly.

"Sasuke."

Everyone stilled at the familiar voice.

"That's enough." Fugaku said as he entered the room; his guards standing closely behind him.

Sasuke's grip loosened but he did not release his hold. Nor did he turn around to face his Father. He did not move; his eyes remaining on Itachi.

"Release him, Sasuke." The eldest Uchiha commanded; his voice louder, firmer this time.

Sasuke pulled back. His hands dropped. The knuckle rings fell to the floor with a dull sound.

Fugaku gave a signal to his men. Immediately, they went towards the chained man.

Released, Itachi almost collapsed onto the floor. He staggered; his battered knees struggling at the sudden weight. But he remained standing, panting a little, as his gaze slowly travelled up to meet his Father's.

"Leave, Sasuke." Fugaku ordered his youngest son.

A moment of quiet.

Then, without a word, Sasuke began to walk away. He didn't even spare his Father a glance as he left. His steps were heavy and sluggish, and his back was a little hunched.

Between the two brothers, it looked like Sasuke was the wounded one.

Kakashi bowed respectfully at the Uchiha patriarch before following the young raven outside.

* * *

The entire car ride consisted of silence. Neither felt the need to talk. Through the rearview mirror, Kakashi stole glances at his ward.

Sasuke's half-lidded gaze was fixed outside. His expression was stiff, distant. Since their departure from the warehouse, the young raven hadn't looked at him. Hadn't uttered a word.

_He knew. _Kakashi thought grimly. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Outside, the clouds had grown darker. There were brief flashes of lightning in the distance and the first rumbling of thunder was heard. Within a few minutes, a light rain started.

When they arrived at the hospital, the rain had grown in intensity.

The outside of Naruto's room was filled with guards. Sasuke didn't even look at them and proceeded inside. The windows were now closed; the rain pounding heavily against the glass. The lights were turned off.

Just as Kakashi closed the door, Sasuke spoke.

"You told my Father."

It was not a question, thus Kakashi felt no need to reply. Slowly, Sasuke faced him. Half of the raven's face was hidden in shadows.

"First Hyuuga, then this." (1)

_So he knew. _Kakashi realized. But he still didn't say anything. He merely stared back at Sasuke.

The air around them suddenly felt very heavy.

"You disobeyed me twice." Sasuke intoned. "By all means, you should be dead."

"…."

Sasuke dropped his gaze. His voice sounded drained as he spoke. "You're fired. Get out of my sight."

Kakashi blinked. He wasn't expecting that. He was expecting a bullet through his skull, but this…

Kakashi adjusted his stance before he bowed down low. His voice was calm as he spoke. "It was an honor working for you, Uchiha-dono. Thank you very much for everything."

At that, Kakashi straightened his posture. "I will send my resignation letter to Fugaku-sama. Please take care."

With one last glance at his lord, the white-haired assistant left the room.

* * *

Sasuke did not hear the man leave. Nor did he hear his parting words. He wasn't paying attention anymore.

Slowly, he made his way towards the bed. One pale hand rose and hover above the blond's cheek, straining to feel but never touching. A memory of four years ago flashed before him. That was the time when he first met him. Back then, the blond's face was covered with gauzes; his whole body wrapped in bandages.

Sasuke's eyes burned at the memory. He felt his throat constrict and there was a tightening in his chest. He gripped the sheets in his hands as his head lowered and his cold lips sank into the blond's neck.

_-__**-all he could feel…**_

Numbly, his lips grazed over the slim expanse of the other's neck. Pressing. Burying deeper and deeper. He could feel the heat and the steady beating of the other's pulse against his mouth. His lips parted. His teeth skimmed the skin. He breathed deeply. And before he could stop himself, he bit down.

_**-was this white hot rage twisting his guts**_

"Wake up." He growled low in his throat; anguish lining his voice.

A thin trail of blood trickled down. Sasuke roamed his mouth over the torn flesh, tasting the coppery liquid swirling in his tongue.

The blond did not move.

Pale fingers dug into flesh, scratching. His hands are shaking now.

_**-and all he could see…**_

"Open your eyes, idiot. Wake up."

_**-was **__his__** face. **__Smiling. Always with that smile._

"…."

Sasuke pulled back. He felt his legs shook as he slowly sat down on the chair. Tremors racked his body as he buried his face in his hands.

Vaguely, he could hear thunder echoing in the distance; the escalating rain and wind beating furiously on the glass windows.

As the storm unleashed its fury, it felt as if the skies were crying with him.

**.**

**.**

"…Bas…tard."

Sasuke stilled.

It was faint, but he heard it.

Before he could lift his head, something connected with his jaw. It lingered for a while before it dropped. Sasuke caught it. It was a barely closed fist.

"Heh. U-Uzumaki-punch…" Naruto mouthed through the oxygen mask.

Grasping the hand tightly in his own, Sasuke looked at Naruto. The blond's eyes were slightly open; his lips parted and forming a small smile.

"…'m hungry."

The chair toppled heavily on the floor as the raven immediately stood up.

"Idiot," Sasuke whispered brokenly; his arms hugging the blond like a lifeline. Tightening. Trembling.

"Naruto…"

At that moment, _he knew_, he knew he would never be able to let go again.

"You… _idiot_."

The blond's smile widened at that. His eyelids fluttered weakly and he fell asleep again.

* * *

_I love you. I __**love **__you_

* * *

**_(A month later)_**

"I can't believe it." Naruto said as he looked around; eyes widening in disbelief. "No way. I thought you were kidding."

"Hn."

"We're really here, Sasuke." Naruto glanced back at the raven. "I can't believe it!

"Don''t shout. I can hear you just fine." Sasuke turned off the engine and tilted his head to face the blond. "Listen. We're not allowed to stay lo—"

Before the raven could finish, Naruto had already removed his seatbelt, nudged the door open, and slid off his seat.

Sasuke grumbled a curse as he did the same and followed the running blond outside.

Save for a few frolicking children and their parents, the beach looked almost deserted. Sasuke was quite thankful for that. He doesn't like crowds that much.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted as he ran along the coast, waving. His slacks were folded clumsily to his knees; his feet already submerged in water.

_And childish idiots._ Sasuke definitely doesn't like idiots.

"Don't run, idiot." Sasuke said as he quickly made his way towards the blond. "You'll rip out your stitches."

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Naruto assured the other as he folded his sleeves as well.

The raven didn't believe it for one second and grasped the blond's shoulders to stop him from moving. His fingers lowered and started to unclasp the buttons of the other's shirt.

"Hey what the—!" Naruto shouted; his hands clutching the other's wrists. "What the hell are you doing, bastard?"

The raven did not respond and continued with what he's doing. Halfway done, he opened Naruto's shirt and placed a palm on the blond's chest.

"Ah shit, your hand's cold."

"Be still." The raven said as his hand lowered to the recent wound. _Just a little above the heart._ His eyes lingered on it; fingers hovering above the white stitches, refusing to touch. He remained quiet, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

"Sasuke." Naruto murmured. "Hey, it's fine… See?" Naruto placed his hand over the other; guiding the hesitant fingers over the wound, slowly tracing the torn flesh, feeling.

After a while, the raven reluctantly removed his hands.

"Just," Sasuke said, looking away. "Don't move too much. Your injury isn't fully healed yet."

"Yeah yeah." Naruto said, lacing his hands behind his head. "Geez, Sasuke. Who died and made you my mother?"

"I'm serious, Naruto."

Naruto sighed deeply. "Of course you are. Damn it bastard, loosen up."

"Hn." Sasuke turned away. He looked annoyed.

"Hey wait." Naruto called out to him. He grabbed the other's wrist. "Where are you going?"

"My shoes are getting wet, idiot."

"Then take them off."

"No."

The raven tried to pull his arm away but the blond was persistent. Naruto didn't let go.

"Come on, _teme. _This is a one-time chance. We're not going to have this chance again. And Dad's going to kill me if he finds out about this."

"What do you suggest then? You're not allowed in the water, moron."

"I know that! Do I look stupid?"

Surprisingly, the raven's lips curved slightly upwards.

The look aggravated Naruto for some reason. "Hey! I know what you're thinking. I'm not stupid, bastard. Quit insulting me in your mind."

"…." The smirk remained on the pale face though.

"Damn it, _teme._ Stop that." It was Naruto's turn to look away. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Bastard. If I could punch you right now, I would."

Sasuke's eyes softened. "Idiot." He said as he gently turned the blond's face to look directly into his eyes. "What do you want to do, hm?"

Stunned by the gesture and the soft voice, Naruto merely stared at Sasuke, blinking a few times. "Um, well…"

The blond swallowed hard.

"….."

"Do you want to w-walk?" Naruto stammered; his face slightly tinted. "You know, just walk along t-the… you know."

Sasuke raised a brow.

"It's a beach, bastard. Don't people do that all the time? Walking along the shores? Talking about… stuff."

"Couples, Naruto. Couples do that." Sasuke stated in monotone.

Naruto gaped at the other. "W-what? C-couples?" Then he dropped his gaze in embarrassment. "…Oh."

_Oh._

"Oh…" Naruto said again; his eyes fixed at the sand beneath his feet, silently, desperately hoping that it could swallow him whole. _How could he be so stupid?_ _This is so embarrassing._ Naruto mentally berated himself. He could feel his face heating up.

"J-just forget it then. I… uh…" The blond laughed nervously. He turned his back.

"You can just go back to the car, bastard. I'll just watch the sunset from here."

"Moron." Naruto heard the raven said before he felt arms wrapping gently around his waist and chest.

"We can watch it together." Sasuke whispered against the blond's ear. Naruto shuddered at the warm breaths that lingered on his skin, but relaxed eventually when the raven pulled him closer and rested his chin over his shoulder. At their proximity, Naruto could distinctly feel the other's heat against his back.

"Hey _teme,_ people will see."

"Let them." Sasuke said impassively. "I don't care."

"Sasuke…"

"I love you."

Naruto finched at the words. Those words have been said to him so many times now. But for some reason, he still couldn't…

Not now. Not _yet._

"Naruto…?"

The blond pursed his lips together. Slowly, he released himself from the other's embrace and moved away.

The raven looked at him in confusion, but it dissipated when the blond took his hand.

"Come on." Naruto said, curling his fingers into the raven's. He gripped Sasuke's hand tight and he started walking,

Sasuke grumbled something under his breath but he followed nonetheless.

Hand in hand, they began to tread along the shoreline; both gripping the other's hand tight and never wanting to let go.

They stopped when the sun began to dip into the horizon.

Naruto stared in awe as the sun slowly descended into the sea. The colors of the skies were vibrant and endless. It was a beautiful sight. He held his breath as the last rays of the sun finally vanishes from view.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" Naruto murmured; his eyes still fixed at the horizon.

"Yes it is," Sasuke replied.

Feeling the eyes of the raven on his face, Naruto turned to face the other. Sasuke's dark eyes were boring into his own and Naruto can't help but to stare back. He felt as if he's being pulled deep into those endless depths.

"It's very beautiful," Sasuke said. His hands rose and cupped the blond's face.

The words _I love you _were once again whispered into the air as the raven leaned forward.

One breath and their lips neared, connected.

Naruto felt something warm bloom in his chest. And for a moment, he let himself forget everything. He knew he'll regret this but at the moment, he didn't want to let go.

As their lips pressed more against each other, Naruto felt something grip his heart. He closed his eyes, trying to force all these thoughts away...

_/I'm sorry. I'm so… sorry./_

* * *

He knew it'll come to this. Knew right from the very start what the other's reaction would be. But he had hoped – really hoped – that the other would understand. Even a little bit.

Naruto resisted the urge to step back as the papers were almost shoved to his face. Sasuke's eyes were glaring into him. "What's the meaning of this?"

Naruto glanced at the papers. Realizing what they were, he dropped his gaze.

"I think you already know." Naruto replied through gritted teeth, trying so hard to sound defiant. But his eyes were fixed at his shoes and he can't even muster the courage to look at his brother's eyes. The resolve in his heart being quickly overridden by guilt.

"Don't give me that shit, Naruto." The raven had moved closer now. "These are dropping papers."

"…."

"Naruto." Sasuke growled, a hint of warning in his tone. "Answer me."

"I…" Naruto swallowed hard. This was getting more difficult that he imagined. "I'm dropping out of school, Sasuke..."

"…."

"I'm sorry. I haven't told you." Naruto looked up. He tried to look at Sasuke but his gaze wavered. The intensity of Sasuke's gaze was making his insides twist and clench painfully. "I'm leaving the country, Sasuke. I'm still going."

There was a heavy moment of pause then—

"What." The raven spat.

Clearly, it was not a question.

"I…" The blond looked away again. "I can't stay here, Sasuke. You know I just can't."

"…."

"I need to go. Please understand. I can't stay here anymore."

Naruto felt the raven's eyes on his face but he did not dare look. Still, Sasuke did not say anything.

And for some reason, Naruto didn't like it.

"Sasuke…"

"No." Sasuke said in a hard tone.

Naruto's head shot up, "Sasuke…"

Naruto was stunned into silence when the papers were ripped apart in front of him. Every tear was loud in his ears. Sasuke threw the pieces of paper into the air. One by one, they slowly fell to the floor. Naruto felt his heart sink.

"No, you won't." Sasuke repeated as he turned his back and began to walk away. "You're not going anywhere. End of discussion."

"Sasuke wait, you don't understand. Hear me out, first." Naruto called out to the raven.

His hand shot up and grabbed the raven's arm. And as he spoke, his voice sounded weak even to his ears. "I… I killed people, Sasuke."

The raven stopped.

"I… I've done unforgivable things. Horrible things. Things I will never be able to forget, no matter how hard I…" And here, Naruto's voice broke. His lips started to tremble. "People will know, Sasuke. They'll eventually find out... I can't stay here."

"Let me go…"

"…." Sasuke pulled his arm away. "You're running away."

"No, no…" Naruto shook his head furiously. "That's not it! Damn it Sasuke, why won't you understand?"

The raven glared at him. "You're right Naruto. I don't understand. And I will never understand but I don't care." Sasuke spat. "I don't _fucking_ care."

Naruto stared at him in disbelief. He was rendered speechless by that.

"The answer is no. You're not going anywhere. You'll stay here and we will sort this out… And don't you dare bring this up again." Sasuke finally said. He eyed Naruto briefly before he turned his back again and walked away.

Naruto could only stare at the raven's retreating figure, feeling a pang in his chest. He stood there for a while, not knowing what to do. Then he felt tears lining his face and his gaze dropped to the floor. His eyes roamed over the pieces of paper on the floor. He crouched down and picked them up one by one.

"Bastard." He heard himself whisper.

He clenched the gathered pieces of paper in his hand, holding them close to his chest, mumbling _"I'm so sorry"_ over and over again.

* * *

Fugaku did not even bat an eyelid when his door was suddenly slammed open. Nor did he react when Sasuke stormed in and pounded his fist on his table, glaring at him.

"Where is he?"

Fugaku brought down his pen and calmly stared at his son.

_This was a first, _he thought. All his life, Sasuke had never showed something like this to him. He had never defied him or showed any signs of disrespect, not even once. And now…

"Father. Where is he?" Sasuke asked again; impatience evident in his voice. He was breathing heavily; his face which rarely showed emotions now flushed with anger and hurt.

"He left this morning, Sasuke." Fugaku answered.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Where." He demanded.

"U.S."

"Where in U.S.?"

"…." Fugaku stared at his son, lips pressed thinly. He shook his head. It was clear that he would not say anything anymore.

Realizing this, Sasuke pounded his fist on the table again, causing some of the things on the table to fall and clutter to the carpeted floor. The raven pushed himself off the table. He staggered as he stepped back. His face look utterly drained and his back was a little hunched.

Sasuke had lost his composure entirely and at that moment, Fugaku pitied him.

"How could you do this?" He heard his son whisper. There was accusation in his voice. Fugaku almost flinched at the words, feeling their sting.

Sasuke's clenched fists shook at his sides. He stepped back again

Fugaku saw the red-rimmed eyes of his son before the latter turned his back. The younger Uchiha's shoulders had slumped significantly and in a broken, almost inaudible voice, Fugaku heard him speak:

"How could _he_ do this to me…?"

And Sasuke left.

(TBC)

Part 1 / 2 of Ending


	7. Rain II

**Part 2 / 2 of Ending**

"_Dialogue" – spoken in English_

"Dialogue" – spoken in Japanese

* * *

**_My greatest pains_**

**_are the words I cannot say._**

* * *

**(Three Years Later)**

.

.

_Naruto wrote him letters every day. For a whole year. He never missed a day._

_In his letters, he would tell him stories about his day; how he's coping in this new country; how difficult it is to speak another language; how noisy the neighbors are at night; and how he wakes up every morning wanting nothing else but to go back. He would tell him a lot of things – things that he'd never dreamed of telling him in person. And no matter how the letters start, they would always end the same way. At the end of every letter, the words _**_'I'm sorry'_**_ will always be there._

_Most of his letters came back though. Still sealed. Others were simply lost. His e-mails too were left unanswered. He had never received any response from _**_him_**_. Even during the holidays. He tried calling him but he received the same result. He would later find out from his Father that his brother had moved out of the manor and changed his contact numbers._

"Well damn." _Naruto said one day, gripping his cell phone tight as Fugaku told him about Sasuke. His brother's in college now, taking a pre-law course in Toudai (2) no less. Though it was already expected, he still felt extremely proud of his brother._

"Tell him Congratulations, Dad. I'm really happy for him." _Naruto said. _"I'll tell Itachi."

"Itachi already knows, son." _Fugaku replied._ "They've talked."

"Oh." _Naruto heard himself say._

_Oh…_

"They've talked? Really? I'm… I'm glad. I'm happy for them. I'm…" _His voice cracked. There was a very long pause. For some reason, Naruto couldn't bring himself to say anything more after that._

_He could hear his Father talking about something else but the words were already drowned out in his ears. His mind was already somewhere else. He said goodbye to his Father in a raspy, barely-there voice._

_He sincerely felt glad for them, for both Itachi and Sasuke. At least now they're talking. But he doesn't know why his heart felt heavy. That night, he wasn't able to sleep. He spent the whole night staring at the computer screen, crying, reading his letters over and over again, desperately trying to see where he went wrong. That maybe the words 'I'm sorry' weren't enough. Even with the blurry vision, Naruto continued reading – until his eyes gave out and he fell asleep._

_He tried so hard to stop writing after that._

* * *

_The second year in U.S. was a blur._

_At that time, Naruto had just passed the high school entrance exam. It took him an actual year to pass the exam. It was incredibly hard because of the foreign language, but Itachi had been very patient in tutoring him._

_He still writes to Sasuke every now and then but it was in a less frequency than before. His letters were longer now, angry mostly. The letters that had once ended in 'I'm sorry' are now ending in a string of pet names (Bastard) and curses (Goddamn you, Sasuke, pick up the friggin' pen and write back!)._

_As usual, all of the letters were sent back to him. There were no replies in his e-mails either. But he continued writing anyway. He was too stubborn to stop. He was angry. He was upset. And he wanted Sasuke to know that._

_But there was nothing. There were no responses to his mails. It was a painful blow to him. It felt like they were strangers again._

"**_Are you still angry, bastard?"_**

"**_I said I'm sorry. Damn you, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"_**

"**_How many times do you want me to say that?"_**

…

"…**_Why are you ignoring me?"_**

"**_Sasuke… have you forgotten about me?"_**

"…**_Sasuke."_**

_Sometimes when he'd ran out of things to say, he'll end up writing Sasuke's name in the page over and over again. In the end though, he'd never be able to make out the words – the ink blotted by the droplets of water falling from his face._

_And sometimes too, Naruto would borrow Itachi's phone just to hear Sasuke's voice in the voicemail. He'd close his eyes while listening to his voice. He won't stop. He'd play the voice again and again until the battery dies out._

_Itachi had never given him Sasuke's number. He never gave him a reason either. Naruto had never stopped asking though._

_In his third year – out of sheer longing and desperation – Naruto ran away. With only a backpack and a month's worth of allowance in his pocket, Naruto went to the airport, planning to go back to Japan. He was ready to throw everything away. He doesn't care anymore. But it seemed like fate had other plans. Naruto never knew how but Itachi had somehow learned of this and followed him there._

_Despite his endless pleading and bargaining, Itachi took him back to his apartment. He was crying so hard while on their way back. Back then, he looked so pathetic but he couldn't find himself to care. He missed _**_him_**_. He missed him so much._

"Sasuke you bastard." _Naruto muttered brokenly, wiping his face with the back of his sleeves. But it was no use. His tears flow freely down his face. They never seem to stop. Naruto felt the car pulled to a sudden stop. He didn't move; his face still buried in his hands. It was then at that moment that he felt warmth engulfed him._

_Itachi had leant in and wrapped his long arms around him._

"I'm sorry Naruto." _he heard Itachi say._

"…."

/"I'm sorry…"/

_At those words, Naruto felt his world crumble. _**_Why? _**_He ached to ask, but the words died in his throat. He couldn't say anything._

_He remained silent for the rest of the trip, crying silently, gazing at the skies as it slowly turned to grey._

* * *

It's 5 am.

He could hear the alarm clock blaring somewhere in the room. But he paid no heed to it. He remained seated on his desk chair, knees drawn up to his chest and eyes staring dazedly at the computer screen. He remained in this position for a long time. There was another ring from the alarm clock. It was already 6. He ignored it still.

A tan hand slowly rose and pressed F5 on the keyboard, refreshing the page. Blue eyes were glued to the monitor in anticipation. The screen blanked for a moment… before the page appeared again.

His heart sank when the page remained unchanged. There were no new mails or updates. He was expecting this but he didn't know why his heart still clenched and his eyes gradually lowered to the floor. A long, shuddering sigh escaped his lips. It had already been three years. Three-_fucking_-years of this. This silent treatment. He couldn't understand. He just couldn't.

"_Why?"_

For the third time, the alarm blared again. Irritated, the blond looked to the source of the sound. His day's already ruined – might as well destroy something to vent this frustration, he thought. But all of these thoughts flew out of the window once he came face to face with his alarm clock.

He blinked. That can't be right.

It's already 6:45. He had a class at 7.

Naruto stood up immediately, toppling the chair beneath him.

"Ah shit." He cursed as he grabbed his backpack. He shoved his books and laptop in as quickly as he could, and ran towards the door. There was no doubt about it – he's going to be late again. Damn. The day's already ruined and it hadn't even started yet. was that even possible?

* * *

"_Hey freak."_

Naruto stopped in his tracks. He knew that voice. Clenching his fists, he turned towards the voice. He wasn't surprised to come face to face with a gang of thug-looking wannabes. Some of them were his classmates. He doesn't recognize the others though.

And he thought his day couldn't get any worse.

"_Remember us?" _The leader of the gang stepped forward, holding a wooden baseball bat. Sneering, he pointed the bat towards the blond. _"I want a rematch, freak. This time, you fight all of us."_

One fine eyebrow rose. _'Again? Are they serious?'_ Naruto had beaten his group last week and now, they want another round.

Though Naruto was older than most of them (3), his relatively short stature had made him an easy target for bullies. They initially thought he was too weak to fight. They didn't realize how wrong they were until Naruto singlehandedly pummeled them all to the ground.

"_I'm late. I don't want hurting anyone of you." _Naruto said in broken English and turned his back.

"_Don't you ignore us!" _The leader raised his bat and charged at him. Naruto side-stepped the attack with ease. Growling low in his throat, he punched his attacker on the face as hard as he could; sending the thug straight to the ground.

Naruto bared his teeth in anger. He's already in a very bad mood. He's tired of this. They challenge him every week. Clearly these guys never learn.

Cracking his knuckles, he motioned for them to attack. And they did.

* * *

Naruto felt something cold pressed against his swollen cheek. He looked up.

"_Oh hey."_

"_What's up, Dickless?" _The other said, offering Naruto the cold soda.

"_Sai." _Naruto's frown relaxed into a grin. He took the can and popped it open. _"Th-thanks."_

Naruto drank the soda while his other hand remained on his face, rubbing his swollen cheek. He winced at the feel. It would certainly bruise later. It was his fault. He was so distracted. He couldn't concentrate on the fight. He kept on thinking about something else. Of someone…

"_They fought you again, huh?"_

Naruto sighed. _"Yeah. Second time this week."_

"_I told you. Let me take care of them."_

"_Nah."_ Naruto closed his eyes and leaned his back against the wall. Despite the throbbing on his cheeks, a small smile was evident on his face. _"I can handle my own fights. And besides, I always won."_

He felt the man sit next to him. _"Says the idiot with a beat-up face."_

"_Hey, don't call me that! I'm not idiot." _Naruto glared at the other. He crossed his arms over his chest. _"Damn it, I wasn't looking. They have bats and they were many today too. More than six or seven, I think."_

"_What they lack in strength, they make up for in numbers... Pathetic."_ Sai said, his tone lower than before. _"Are you alright, idiot?"_

"_Yeah. They just surprising me, that's all. And stop calling me an idiot."_

"_You've been here for three years and your grammar still sucks. Face it, you are an idiot."_

"_Hey…!"_

Before Naruto could shout obscenities at the other, Sai had suddenly leaned in closer to him. A pale hand rose and removed Naruto's hand from his face. _"Don't rub the wound. It'll get worse."_

Naruto's hand was replaced by a cool palm pressing against his cheek. Sai's hand felt so cold and soothing on his face.

Stunned, Naruto didn't move. He could only stare at the other, unable to take his eyes off the man's face. _'Damn it. He does look like…'_

"_Stay there. I'll go get some ice." _Sai said as he stood up.

"…_Uh yeah, sure."_

A few minutes later and the pale man returned with a bag of ice. He tossed it to the blond.

"_Thanks Sai." _Naruto said, pressing the bag to his cheeks. _"Heh. You're always helping me out. I owe you many."_

"_No problem, dickless."_

Sai sat beside Naruto again. He raised one knee and rested an arm on it. He had a book on one hand but he wasn't reading it. His gaze was focused on the blond next to him.

For a long while, none of them talked. Both remained silent, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

Then, Sai spoke. _"You were distracted? By what?"_

"…_."_

"_Is this… Are you still thinking about hi –?"_

"_Don't." _Naruto gritted out. He lowered his head; his bangs shadowing his eyes. _"I don't want to talk about it."_

"_Naruto…"_

"…_."_

"_Naruto. Stop this." _Sai had moved nearer to him, facing the blond directly. _"I may not understand your relationship with him, but you need to stop this. It's clear that you're only hurting yourself. He's not worth this pain."_

"_You're wrong, Sai. I…" _Naruto swallowed hard. The ice bag had started to melt in his hand; beads of water dripping down his face. _"I'm not hurting."_

"_Stop lying."_

"_I'm not!" _Naruto shouted, still looking at the ground. His grip on the ice bag tightened. _"I'm... I'm just angry."_

_-worried-confused-upset-_**_angry-angry-angry_**

"_That… fucking bastard. I hate him." _A laugh then a bitter smile spread across the blond's face. _"He's a lying, hypocrisy bastard. Can you believe it? After all this time. After everything, we've been through. After all the words he'd said, he just…"_

"_Naruto…"_

"_Damn it, I'm angry alright. I feel so stupid." _Naruto let go of the bag. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling. _"…So fucking stupid. I'm tired of this…"_

_-always, _**_always waiting_**_._

Unbidden, the words just burst out from his lips. _"…I shouldn't have left. Should've said goodbye. Damn it, I could have said sorry, could have explained to him. But I didn't. I didn't."_

"…_."_

"_I just left him. Without saying goodbye. Without explaining anything. Without telling him how much I…" _Naruto abruptly stopped. He swallowed hard. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say those words. Those three words. After all these years, he still can't.

"_How much you what?" _Sai asked.

Naruto shook his head. He grabbed his backpack and stood up. _"Never mind. Forget what I said."_

Sai stood up as well. He held on to the blond's wrist. _"You love him, don't you?"_

"_That's a stupid question, Sai. Of course I love—"_

"_Have you told him?"_

Naruto stilled. His eyes widened at the words. _"I… Does it matter now? He's already forgotten. He hates me now."_

A soft breeze passed through them. Neither talked for a while. Then, after a long moment of silence, Naruto slowly removed his arm from the other's grasp. His back still turned, he spoke.

"…You know, sometimes I wonder if he ever thinks about me." Naruto said in Japanese. He smiled, knowing that the other wouldn't be able to understand what he's saying. The smile didn't last long though as his lips trembled and he fought to steady his voice. "Because no matter what I do, no matter where I am, I can't… I can't stop thinking about him, Sai. I never stopped thinking about him. Stupid, right? How _fucking _stupid is that?"

And with that, Naruto walked away. Sai remained in his spot, watching the other slowly disappear from view.

"Idiot." Sai whispered. There was a sad tint in his voice_. _"He can't stop thinking about you too."

* * *

_"Oh Naruto. You're still here?"_

Naruto looked up from the shelf he was arranging. He saw Sakura coming in.

The blond grinned at her. _"O-overtime, Sakura-chan. W-was absent other day. Our boss tell me I should keep more hours."_Naruto managed to say in between stutters and broken English, scratching his cheek nervously out of habit.

Sakura smiled back and nodded in understanding. It was obvious that the blond is still struggling with the foreign language. Even after three years, he still finds it hard to speak without stuttering; his words still heavy with the Japanese accent. Naruto is smart and learns pretty quickly but learning a new language seemed to be a lot difficult for him.

They have been best friends for almost a year now. Naruto started working part-time at the convenience store a year ago but because of their opposite shifts, they rarely see each other.

At first, Sakura was surprised the owner even hired him. The blond, though looking the part, couldn't speak one complete sentence in English. He struggled most of the time in his speech, is extremely clumsy, and talks a lot in his native language. The blond was a complete weirdo and if Sakura can help it, she avoided him most of the time. The blond remained persistent though, always trying to strike up a conversation with her when they meet. There was a time when Sakura got so fed up with the blond that she demanded him to be fired.

She regretted that immediately – especially after the time when that same idiotic, stammering blond saved her life.

Up to this day, she still can't believe it. She remembered that night so well. She took the night shift because she had make-up classes in the morning. She was alone in the store when two men wearing ski masks suddenly burst in, pointed a gun at her, and demanded the money in the register. She was so horrified that she remained frozen in her spot. Aggravated by her lack of cooperation, the men started shouting at her; their threatening voices booming so loudly in the small establishment.

That was when Naruto came in. He was claiming he forgot something as he entered the store. He immediately stopped when he saw the two armed men, his eyes widening at the gun pointed at his co-worker. Like Sakura, he stood frozen for a moment. Then… his expression changed. Sakura couldn't remember most of what had happened. It was all a blur. Everything happened too fast. One moment the two masked men were standing, then they were on the floor the next, gasping and writhing in pain.

In the sidelines, Naruto was panting, massaging his bruised knuckles, as he continued grumbling something in his native language.

Then, the blue eyes looked at her. _"Sakura-chan! Are you alright? Did they hurted you?" _Naruto kicked the gun to the far-off side and ran towards her. Worry was written all over his face as he grasped the young woman's shoulders.

And that was when Sakura cried. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Her words were incoherent in between her sobbing and shouting.

She will never, ever forget that day. And ever since that incident, they have been very close.

Sakura removed her wet coat and hung it on the coat rack. It was raining heavily outside. She punched her time card in the machine and put on her cap and name tag. After checking herself in the mirror, she glanced back at the blond, noting that the other is now busy scrawling some figures on the inventory datebook. Naruto was hunched over the small shelf, looking so focused with what he's doing. Sakura smiled. It was rare to find the blond like that.

"…_So, Naruto. How was school?" _Sakura asked as she walked towards the boy. She sat beside him and rested her elbows on her knees, looking at the blond with an expectant look.

The blond continued in his writing but the warm smile did not leave his face. _"Same same, Sakura-chan. It is bored. I'm boring always in school. I feel like dying."_

The pink-haired girl giggled softly, finding the blond's answer and his choice of words quite amusing. _"You mean school is boring and you are bored, Naruto. Not the other way around. And yes, you do look like you're dying. Poor you."_

"_Oh yeah. I always forgot about that," _Naruto's smile widened.

"_Yes you do, idiot. Honestly how many times do I have to correct you on that one?" _Sakura clucked her tongue playfully, wagging a finger at the other. The blond only laughed as a response.

"_Wait. What happened to your face?" _The girl said as she placed her hand gently on the other's cheek. _"Did you fight again?"_

"_Oh this? Haha, sorry Sakura-chan, but they cornered me again today."_

"_Again? Those morons don't learn, do they?"_

"_I guess…"_

"_So are you alright? Do you want me to get some ice for that?"_

Naruto shook his head. _"No need, Sakura-chan! Sai had already helped me with it. It's kinda healed now."_

"_Sai? Really?" _Sakura's voice became sweeter. She moved closer to the blond. _"What's up with you two?"_

Naruto's eyes widened slightly. He paused in his writing and slowly regarded his friend, one fair eyebrow raised at the sudden proximity. _"W-what do you mean, Sakura-chan?"_

"_Well, aren't you two…? I mean, what's going on between you two? He's been around here most of the time lately. And that's only during your shifts. He's always here. Always! Don't you think I noticed, idiot?"_

"_Uh well… I don't know." _Naruto looked away. He started biting the tip of his pen. _"Sai's just… there of some reason."_

"_For some reason." _Sakura corrected, then went back to the topic. _"And why is that? You seem awfully close if you ask me. Is he your boyfriend or something?"_

At this, Naruto gaped at her. His face had turned red in embarrassment as he looked back at his co-worker. _"What? No! Sai? He's just… he's just a friend. Nothing more."_

"_A friend?" _Sakura looked disbelieving. "_He's more like a stalker, Naruto. Come on, seriously, he's always there, waiting. He's lucky he's cute because if he isn't, he'd be in jail right now. Because damn it, that's just creepy. Are you sure he's just your friend, Naruto?"_

"_Uh yeah…"_

There was a sly look on Sakura's face, her emerald eyes twinkling in what seemed to be in fascination. _"Are you lying to me? Are you hiding something?" _The girl latched on to the blond's arm. _"Come on dumbass, you can tell me anything. We're friends right?"_

Naruto was smiling nervously now, their close proximity making him extra edgy.

"_He really is just my friend, Sakura-chan. And yeah I agree to you, he's creepy."_

'…_and annoying too.' _Naruto mused. _"But he's kinda nice when you get to know him…" _The blond trailed on, now staring at the data sheet with a pondering look. _"He always helps me out. He's…always there."_

"_Naruto, are you…?"_

"_Hey blondie, get over here!"_

Their chat was cut short when the store owner burst in, his oversized coat totally soaked. He flung his umbrella to the side. _"Fucking rain. Now I'm all wet... Blondie, where are you!" _The owner shouted again.

"_Coming!" _Naruto ran towards the man.

"_Truck's here." _The owner jerked his thumb to the direction of the truck. _"Bring the cargoes in. And be quick about it. I don't want any of the packages getting wet. They're perishable."_

"_But it's raining outside," _Sakura interjected, looking outside worriedly. The wind was getting stronger and the rain was almost flooding the store's entrance way. _"Why don't we bring them in tomorrow?"_

"_No can do missy. It's hot in the truck. If we wait, the heat will ruin the goods." _The owner grunted in reply. He turned his attention to the blond. _"Bring them all inside and you're done for the day, boy. You can leave if ya want."_

Naruto nodded. He looked back at Sakura, smiling. _"Don't worry Sakura-chan. I can handle this."_

"_Naruto…" _Sakura mumbled as she watched the blond took his hoodie from the coat rack and proceeded outside in the pouring rain.

….

Even with the cap and the hoodie, Naruto still ended up getting drenched to the bone by the time he finished. It took him a long time to bring all the packages in because of the strong winds. It was also extremely hard to maintain his balance on the slippery pavement while carrying them one by one. He had slipped a few times. By the time he was done, he was soaked and aching all over.

Dripping wet from head to toe, it looked like he took a shower out in the rain. His wet clothes clung to his body like a second skin. Standing perfectly rigid at the entrance, Naruto blinked the water droplets out of his eyes. He couldn't wipe the water out of his face. He was afraid that if he made any movement, he'll start shivering uncontrollably.

Sakura came running towards him. _"Jeez, you dumbass," _she said while drying Naruto's head with a small towel. _"You could have said no. That man's a jerk. This job is so not worth it. You'll get sick."_ (4)

Naruto chuckled softly, knowing how close to the truth Sakura is. He really wanted to quit the job, but he can't. Not now.

"_It's okay, Sakura-chan. I don't want to get fired. I need this."_

Sakura rubbed his head a bit too roughly this time. _"Idiot. You're a big idiot. If you need money, I can lend you."_

"_No, no, Sakura-chan. I don't mean that…" _Naruto pulled his body away, flailing his hands in front of his face. _"It's not about… money. It's not. I just…"_

The blond stared at the floor. _"It's just… " _He paused for a long while; then he looked back at Sakura. _"Sorry Sakura-chan," _Naruto said, one hand scratching the back of his head._ Can we talk about this some time? I needed to go now."_

"_What? Are you out of your mind? It's still raining, Naruto. You have to dry yourself first."_

Naruto laughed again. _"No need. I'll be wet again."_

Sakura took her umbrella from the rack and handed it to the blond. _"Then please take this with you."_

Naruto shook his head. _"No. It's yours. Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'll be fine. The train's nearby."_

The blond made a thumbs-up sign and winked at her. Before Sakura could say anything, Naruto had already grabbed his backpack and left.

Sakura stared at the disappearing figure with a worried look. The heavy downpour's unceasing. The streets outside were starting to flood. From afar, she could see pale flashes of lightning peeking out from the dark, ominous clouds. It would be a very stormy night.

* * *

Naruto tightened the knot of his hooded jacket. He could feel and hear the heavy raindrops pounding on his head. He buried his hands deeper into his side pockets, rubbing his fingers together to warm his hands. Beneath the many layers of clothes, he was starting to shiver.

"Damn, it's cold." Naruto muttered under his breath. He slowed down, feeling the muscle strain in his legs for walking too fast for a long time. Wiping his sodden face with the back of his sleeves, Naruto glanced around to look for a temporary roof. He spotted one and ran towards it. Once he settled under the cover, Naruto took his phone from his pocket. The cellular device is slightly wet but thanks to its glass casing, it's still working.

Naruto promptly dialed Itachi's number. "Come on, pick up. Pick up,_ aniki._"

"…."

There was no answer and it didn't take long before the dreaded "out of reach" message was heard. Naruto cursed in his head, gripping the phone tight. _Could this day get any worse?_

Naruto stared grimly at the skies, watching as the rain continues to pour down heavily. Shivering, he bit his lower lip hard. He could feel gooseflesh starting to break out on his skin; his fingers going numb and his teeth chattering loudly from the cold. He needs to go now. If he doesn't, he'll freeze here to death.

A bitter smile twisted his lips. What an _unlucky_ day indeed.

* * *

Sakura heard the entrance door open. She turned around, ready to greet the other. _"Welcome. How may I help—?"_ She stopped… and stared. Blinking a few times, she managed to utter a name breathlessly, "_S-Sai?"_

'_No, this isn't Sai,' _Sakura mused. _'This isn't him.'_ The man's hair is longer; his face a healthier shade of white, not as deathly pale as Sai's. They both look Asian and they share the same build, but this man looks taller. And he had a certain air of nobility around him. _'And my God, is he handsome,' _Sakura judged.

The man was wearing a tailored, very fine black coat. Underneath the coat was an equally dark and smooth English woolen suit, no tie. This man looked as if he just came from a political meeting or something. For a while, Sakura just stood and stared, utterly speechless at the man's presence.

Then, the man's lips moved. All of Sakura's thoughts about the man being a foreigner flew out of the window when she heard him speak. His accent was smooth, normal and his voice is subtly deep.

Sakura blinked again. She heard him speak but the words failed to register in her head. _"Ah sorry. Can you repeat that?" _She asked, smiling nervously.

"_Naruto Uzumaki. I believe he's working here."_

"_N-Naruto? Oh yes he is. He's an employee here."_

The man's dark eyes scanned the room.

"_Where is he?"_

"_Um, well…" _Sakura looked away. She fixed her gaze outside. _"I'm afraid he just left. I'm sorry."_

"_What?" _The man looked back at Sakura. His dark, piercing eyes were narrowed, clearly displeased. _"In this rain?"_

The girl tensed at the sudden change of the man's demeanor. _"U-Um…"_

"_Where." _The man hastily asked; his voice as cold as steel.

"_T-to the subway. I tried to stop him but he wouldn't—"_

Before Sakura could finish, the door had slammed open and the man was already outside.

Sakura almost collapsed onto the floor. She heard the familiar grumbling sound of a car engine starting as she placed a hand on her chest and released a shuddering breath.

'_Who is that man..?'_

* * *

He's running now, trying to ignore the protest in his leg muscles. He couldn't feel his toes anymore. He pounded his thighs alternately just to get the blood flowing. His vision had gone blurry with all the water on his face. He felt like drowning but he couldn't stop. The train's just a few blocks away. He couldn't afford to wait. He would've frozen to death by the time the downpour ceased.

Too preoccupied with where he's going, Naruto paid no heed to the puddles of water that lay scattered on the pavement. There was simply no use avoiding them since his pants and shoes are already soaked, as well as all of his clothes. Every inch of him was utterly cold and dripping wet. Behind his paling lips, his teeth chattered uncontrollably.

A car was honking repeatedly behind him. But Naruto was already too dazed and too tired to turn around. He ignored it and continued onwards, walking slowly as he dragged his feet beneath him.

A car door opened... then closed.

Numbly, he could hear the sounds of heavy – urgent – footsteps approaching him. It must have been his imagination but he could have sworn he heard someone call out his name.

Naruto blinked a few times, trying to clear his eyes. In his vision, the world seemed to double, slowly being tinted in grey and hazy black. Feeling extremely light-headed, Naruto struggled to keep his balance. It was no use. His knees started to buckle beneath him.

His world slanted… and he was falling.

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder – and before he could react, Naruto was pulled towards a body that was much warmer, much drier than his own.

"**Idiot**."

A long, streaking lightning bolt cut the sky. It illuminated everything for a split-second.

And then, he saw _him_.

At that moment, his whole world was brought into a standstill. Naruto gaped at the man before him, eyes ridiculously wide; mouth hanging open.

_-no-no-no-no- _**_fucking_**_ way_

"Sa…" He swallowed hard. His throat felt painfully dry as he held the man's unwavering, cold gaze. He forced his mouth to speak. "S-Sas…"

The grasp on his shoulders tightened and the man moved, forcing Naruto to stagger backwards. Too stunned to react, Naruto let himself be pushed towards the car; the man still supporting him.

"Get in."

Unblinking, Naruto followed. Sasuke went to the other side and got in as well. Once settled, Sasuke pressed a button and the doors automatically locked.

The man did not even spare him a glance as he tugged his seatbelt across his body. Leather-gloved hands gripped the steering wheel hard, turned the gear forcefully, and drove.

* * *

**_You hurt me first._**

* * *

'_Oh God.'_

Naruto couldn't stop his body from trembling again – out of cold or dread – he wasn't sure anymore.

_-oh god, oh god, _**_oh god_**

Naruto clenched his shaking hands, desperately trying to rein in the erratic and furious pounding of his heart. He swallowed hard, feeling something wedged under his throat. He couldn't even look at _him_; his eyes fixed ahead. Amidst the biting cold that gripped every inch of his skin, a thin sheet of sweat had started to cover his forehead. His face felt oddly hot. His breathing had turned shallow and ragged. In this enclosed space, he felt cornered.

Naruto closed his eyes, willing all the panicking thoughts away. But it was no use. His mind in utter chaos, he could hear his own heart beating heavily in his head. Even the sound of the rain pounding against the windshield was awfully loud and distracting to his ears.

Another lightning bolt cut through the sky. Naruto shifted uncomfortably in his seat, shame filling him as his drenched clothes rubbed against the leather seat, his hair and face still dripping wet. Water pooled beside his feet.

"I… I'm sorry about your car." Naruto said shakily, hiding his shivering hands beneath his armpit.

"…."

Silence. Naruto expected that. He bit his lip miserably, unsure of whether to go on.

"Sasuke, I…" He started again after a long time of debating in his head. Breathing deeply as if summoning his resolve, he turned to face the other. Sasuke's gaze was fixed ahead; his expression still unbearably cold and distant. As if he didn't exist. As if he wasn't here now. Naruto felt the ache swell in his chest. Despite his hard-earned resolve, Naruto's gaze wavered and eventually dropped to the floor.

"I'm sorry I didn't—" He muttered, but was cut off when the other pushed the brakes all of a sudden. The tires screeched as the car skidded to an abrupt halt.

Naruto grunted in displeasure, but he still didn't say anything. _Couldn't_

"Out." The raven ordered.

The blond gritted his teeth, a bit cross at the tone. But he obeyed nonetheless. He unlocked the door and stepped out.

The rain's still driving hard. He could feel them pounding heavily on his head and shoulder. His face had already paled with the cold and he shivered still. His legs felt numb and he doubted if he could walk. Blinking the water out of his eyes, Naruto glanced around, trying to locate where they are.

They're in front of some kind of a building with the most lavish revolving doors he had ever seen. Blearily, he tried to make out the name of the establishment but the gorgeous, wavy lettering made it difficult to read. _A hotel, this must be a hotel_, he assumed.

He was interrupted in his thoughts when he felt something warm cover his form. Sasuke had placed his coat over him. He felt a hand grasping his shoulder tightly as he was pulled closer. Naruto saw Sasuke tossed the key to one of the valet attendants before they started walking into the hotel.

The trip to the room was uneventful, silent. They didn't talk. They just walked.

And every second felt like a ticking bomb.

Sasuke opened the door quite forcefully and pushed him inside.

Once they were further into the room, the raven released him and went somewhere. Naruto just stayed where he is. He stood frozen at the spot, unable to move or look around. Without his support, his knees wobbled beneath him. He's using every bit of strength he's left just to keep standing. Droplets of water dripped from his hair and clothes, staining the off-white lush carpeting beneath his feet.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up. A towel was tossed in front of his face and he barely caught it.

"You shower first." Sasuke stated. He pointed to a door in a corner. "The bathroom's there. I'll lay out clothes for you."

There is a pause before Naruto finally found his voice. "Wait," he mumbled hoarsely. "Sasuke, wait. Let's talk. Please"

"There is nothing to talk about." Sasuke turned his back. "Now go."

"No, no…" Naruto's shaking his head now. "I haven't said… Just wait, please."

Sasuke started walking away. Naruto dropped the towel and hurried after the other. He grabbed Sasuke's wrist, gripping it as tight as he could, feeling the hand stiffen under his touch.

"Bastard, hear me out first. Don't go. Don't leave. Please, Sasuke."

"…."

His words were left unheeded as Sasuke pulled his hand away. Naruto felt his heart broke at that. His eyes burned in despair. He _ruined _this. He ruined everything.

"I…" Naruto shut his eyes; his head shamefully lowered to the floor as tears marred his face. "I'm sorry I left. Damn it, I'm sorry…"

The blond paused then—

"…I love you." He heard himself say – mumbled in an almost inaudible tone. His voice was hoarse as he said it. But he said it. He finally said it.

"I love you," he repeated in a voice much louder this time. He stared longingly at Sasuke's back.

"…."

"I've always… loved you. Sasuke, I…"

He didn't finish it as his back hit the wall with a force that almost drove all the air out of his lungs. Sasuke had pushed him to the wall and had engulfed him in a bruising hold. Naruto grunted in pain and shock but stilled when he felt warm lips pressed against his own. Sasuke's fingers were digging into his skin; the raven's teeth grazing and biting every inch of the exposed flesh.

"_**Don't resist**_, Uzumaki…" He heard the other say. Sasuke's warm, heavy breaths smelled of cigarettes. "Or this is rape."

Naruto flinched at the word but he didn't answer and instead fisted the other's shirt, bringing the raven closer to him. He was panting heavily now; his mind fogged with incoherent thoughts; his skin heated and burning beneath his clothes.

He felt something pushed between his thighs and he shuddered at the feel, his breath caught in his throat as the leg rubbed against him forcefully. Warm hands roamed around his body, across his chest, on his belly, down to his navel. Fingers lingered on his waist; the blunt nails digging, scraping painfully into his skin, before he felt them tugged at the hem of his pants and pulled them down.

And Sasuke went down on his knees.

"Ah, wait, stop." Naruto cried out, feeling his knees buckle as he tried to push the raven's face away. But Sasuke's hold was much stronger. Pale hands gripped Naruto's wrists and pinned them to his sides.

With his teeth, the raven pulled his boxers down.

"No, Sasuke—"

All protests died in his throat when he felt the other's lips brushed against his thighs. Naruto bit his lip hard as he felt the moisture of the other's tongue licked its way slowly to his length, leaving trails of saliva on its wake. Naruto released a choked cry when warmth suddenly engulfed everything of him. His insides writhed and burned as he felt the other swallow him whole; the moist tongue still lapping unforgivably at the skin. He felt like he's going to go mad.

"Stop, please…" He begged, but the other ignored him. The raven continued with what he's doing and Naruto could only look away and grit his teeth in shame.

It didn't take long before he finally burst out. And in his release, he cried out the raven's name.

His knees finally gave in and he fell forward into Sasuke's arms.

The world around him dissolved and Naruto let himself slip into unconsciousness.

Sasuke hugged the boy tightly in his arms. He stayed like that for a long time, eyes closed, relishing the moment and burning it forever in his memory. He pulled the other closer to him, mumbling words of affection against the other's skin.

He cradled the boy's head gently in his arms, leaned into him, and gave him a series of butterfly-kisses on the face before capturing him in the lips again.

"You don't know how much I…" He whispered close to the blond's ear, his hands shaking as he buried his fingers into the other's messy hair. "I love you."

Sasuke kissed him again, his lips lingering on the blond's skin, before starting to remove Naruto's soaked clothes from his body. After that, he scooped him up in his arms and made his way towards the bathroom.

He brought the blond down and let him leaned into his body while he slipped out of his clothes. Once he's fully naked, he opened the faucet and waited until the steam billowed out, before guiding Naruto into the tub.

Sasuke sat behind the blond, letting the latter's head rest on his chest. As he waited for the tub to fill, he took a washcloth and gently moved it over the blond's chest and stomach. He felt Naruto hum softly and sink into his body.

"I love you," He heard Naruto say. It could have been his imagination but Sasuke didn't care.

He wrapped his arms around the blond, pulled him closely, almost possessively, as if someone will take him away.

"I love you too. I love you." Sasuke murmured. "Don't leave me again."

"…."

"Don't you ever…" The grip tightened, and Sasuke's hands trembled as he buried his head into the other's shoulder – wishing, hoping, _wanting nothing more_ than to stay like this forever.

Outside, the rain had weakened. The skies were now tinted in a lighter shade of blue.

The winds had died down and finally, the storm had ended.

.

.

Part 2 / 2 of Ending

* * *

**Thank you!**

**NOTES:**

(1) In this chapter, it is implied that Neji is still alive. Kakashi did not dispose of him.

(2) Toudai or Todai is another name for Tokyo University, Japan's top university.

(3) Naruto's current age is 20 (Part 2). He's in his second year in high school in the US. As mentioned/ implied in the previous chapters, Naruto's education had started a bit late.

(4) Naruto doesn't need the job for the money since Fugaku is still supporting him. The job is merely a distraction.

(5) Sasuke finished his four-year course in two years. He took and completed his Masters in a year. His study had been his form of distraction.

(6) Sai is sent by the Uchiha family to "shadow" Naruto. Hence, the stalker-image. Naruto doesn't know this though.

-/

As promised;

**Responses to Questions / Comments: (Last Edited: 01/13/13) - moved to the EPILOGUE**


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_Once, when he was a child, he chased a butterfly in the garden. Its wings were wide and beautifully tinged with the color of the sky. Vibrant blue. Sasuke deemed it incredibly beautiful. _

_A pale hand hovered in the air…_

_One breath—and the young raven caught the butterfly deftly in his hand. Skillful fingers gripped the wings, and a feeling of satisfaction bloomed in his chest._

'_So beautiful,' he thought. He could see the insect's thin legs struggling desperately at the capture but it could do nothing, its wings trapped between the pale fingers. "So beautiful," the young raven whispered; his eyes fixed on the exquisite form._

"_Let it go, Sasuke." Itachi voiced out behind him._

"_You're killing it."_

_Dark eyes widened at the words, genuinely confused. Sasuke turned around to face his older brother. "But Aniki," the young raven started, "This is mine. I found it."_

_Itachi shook his head and leaned down to meet his brother's eyes. "Yes, you found it and it's yours. But you have to let it go or you'll kill it, otouto. Look," Itachi's eyes flicked towards the butterfly, "You're hurting it."_

_Sasuke refocused his attention on the butterfly, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes narrowed slightly in thought. _

_And then without word or warning, the same pale fingers clipped the butterfly's wings. Itachi watched in mute shock as the beautiful blue wings slowly fell to the ground. _

_The butterfly writhed in the ground for a few agonizing seconds... before it finally died._

_Itachi's jaw clenched, suddenly finding himself unable to say anything. _

"_If I let it go, it will fly away." Sasuke said._

"_It will fly away, Itachi. Away from me..." the young raven continued, his eyes still focused on the dead butterfly on the ground._

"_And it will no longer be mine." _

_Before the other could say anything, __Sasuke knelt down, gathered the remains of the butterfly from the ground and cupped them in his small hands. He held it like a treasure and brought it closer to his chest._

"_This is mine… forever mine," the young raven murmured, smiling._

_Itachi moved closer to his brother, his eyes laced with worry. "No Sasuke, that's not…"_

"_Can we visit Mother?" The young raven looked back at Itachi with expectant eyes. "I missed her so much. I'll show this to her."_

_"..." Itachi stood still for a moment, looking at the dead butterfly in his brother's hands. A cold, cold breeze passed them._

"_Sure," Itachi said after a while. Sighing, he made his way towards his younger brother and held his hand. _

_Sasuke's hand was much colder than his._

* * *

Sai's dark eyes roamed around the doors lining the corridors. A frequent visitor at the apartment complex, he already knew the place by heart. He smiled when his eyes rested on one particular door.

He rang the bell and counted in his mind. He heard a loud tumbling sound behind the door, followed by a pained yelp, then a curse.

"What a klutz," Sai commented, unaware that his smile had widened a bit.

The door opened and vibrant blue eyes peeked at the small opening.

_"Oh hey Sai, you're early." _Naruto greeted, smiling as he rubbed the back of his head.

"_And you are late, pantywaist."_

Naruto chuckled softly as he removed the chain from the door. _"Haha, good morning to you too, jerk."_

The blond gestured the other to come in.

_"You eaten?"_

_"Hm."_

As usual, Naruto greeted him in only his boxers. That wasn't new and Sai didn't mind it in the least. But what made the sight more interesting was the endless bruises and marks marring the tan skin. The blond's face was slightly flushed as well.

Sai's eyes glimmered playfully in realization. _"Finally got laid, dickless?"_

The blond's blue eyes widened. The flush in his face deepened.

_"S-Shut up! That's none of your business."_ he stammered. _"And quit staring, you ass."_

Suddenly feeling exposed, Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. When the other's eyes didn't leave him, he punched him in one shoulder. _"I said, quit staring."_

The playful grin on the pale man's face merely grew. _"So who is it?"_

_"Huh?" _

Sai moved closer to the blond. _"Who is he? I bet you were the one screaming."_

_"The hell I'm not— I didn't— It wasn't like that, Sai!"_Naruto shouted in a voice higher than usual.

_"Your face says otherwise, dickless. You're lying. You have to do better than that—"_

_"Naruto's right. It's none of your business."_

A smooth voice suddenly cut in.

A man appeared behind the blond. He was tall, Sai noted, and the man's dark eyes were narrowed and glaring right through his.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto called out. "What are you doing? I told you to stay in the room."

_"Get inside, Naruto." _The man spoke, eyeing the blond's state of undress. His jaw was tightened at the sight, clearly displeased. _"Get dressed. Fix yourself up."_

"Shut it bastard. Don't order me around."

"Naruto."

"_Teme._"

"Fine, fine." Naruto sighed, deflating. He turned to Sai.

_"The bastard's Sasuke. He's my... brother."_Naruto introduced. "And Sasuke, this dick is Sai. He goes to my school."

Naruto waited for some sort of response from the two but there was none. Not even a nod or a handshake. "O—kay." The blond bit his lip, unsure on how to proceed. The whole scenario felt suddenly tense for some reason.

_"So I'm going now. Just... wait for me." _Naruto said. He leaned in towards his brother. "Oh and Sasuke, speak English okay. Despite the looks, Sai isn't Japanese, Asian or anything. The guy's... I dunno. Be good okay. Don't scare him away. I mean it, _teme. _He's a dick, but he's my friend. Be nice." Naruto warned. And with one last wary glance at the two, the blond left, leaving the two ravens alone.

A complete and utter silence settled between the two.

After a long while, Sai adjusted his stance and bowed low to his waist.

"I am honored to finally meet you, Uchiha-sama. I've heard a lot of things about you." Sai greeted in perfect Japanese. "_Great_... things." He straightened his posture and looked directly at the Uchiha's eyes.

"Who are you, really?" Sasuke asked, his voice has turned low. His eyes were narrowed.

"My apologies. I cannot disclose that information. But like Naruto said, you can call me Sai."

"...You work for my Father." Sasuke deduced.

It was not a question. Sai's smile widened. _'A prodigy indeed.'_

"That is correct. It was your Father who hired me."

"To watch Naruto?"

Sai nodded once. "Yes and it is imperative that he does not know about it."

"Hn." Sasuke finally tore his eyes away. He seemed satisfied and... relieved? Sai wasn't sure. He took a mental note to research on that later.

"I am relieving you of your duties. You are no longer needed." The Uchiha suddenly said. He looked back at Sai, his eyes as piercing as ever. "I'll take care of _him_from now on."

Sai's smile faltered on his face but it remained. "As much as I feel humbled by your concern towards my job, I'm afraid you can't do that, Uchiha-sama."

"It was your Father who hired me, not you. He is the only one who can relieve me of my assigned duties."

The Uchiha's lips pressed thinly at that. A curve appeared on his jaw, signaling a tightening there. Sai felt quite satisfied at that.

"Therefore I will continue to watch over Uzumaki Naruto until he says otherwise. I hope that is acceptable."

"No, you will not. Your job ends here."

"Uchiha-sama…"

"Leave." Sasuke hissed. "He's _not_ going anywhere. Especially with you."

Sasuke stepped forward, both hands already down. "Now get out."

Sai's stance grew rigid.

Everything felt cold all of a sudden. A lump has formed in his throat and it took his all to swallow it. Sai didn't know why his fists won't stop shaking at his sides.

"I understand, Uchiha-sama." Sai gritted out as he bowed down again. A fire raged within, coupled with the feeling of fear, but his voice remained deceptively even. He did not bother to restore his fake smile; his face reverting to its usually cold state.

"If you'll excuse me then, I will take my leave."

With one last glance at the Uchiha, Sai turned on his heels and left.

The door closed slowly and too silently.

The lock clicked, and Sasuke's gaze immediately lowered to the floor. He closed his eyes, trying to control the furor in his chest.

Faintly, he could hear the sound of water running in the background.

And a voice.

He could also hear a voice. That familiar high-pitched voice.

Sasuke stilled—and listened. Though a bit muted, he could still make out the wrong lyrics and the blond's off-key singing.

His lips curved slightly and a ghost of a smile appeared on the pallid face. The heaviness in his heart gradually receded and Sasuke sighed deeply.

"Idiot." He heard himself whisper.

He began to walk towards the sound. His footsteps were soundless against the old polished floor. He gripped the door handle and without hesitation, went inside the room.

The voice was louder now with the blond still singing and unaware of the new presence. A pale hand slid the glass divider to one side, exposing the bathing blond.

Dark eyes roamed over the wet slick body, lingering for a moment at the newly formed marks and bruises on the tan skin. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke stepped into the tub.

Naruto felt the movement and turned around. "Sasuke, what—!"

Pale long arms wrapped around the blond's torso and Naruto was pulled closer to a body much drier than his own.

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief, seeing that the raven was still fully clothed.

"Shit bastard, you're getting wet."

The only response he got was a long hum against the back of his neck.

"Sasuke? Uh…"

The hold tightened even more. Naruto shivered when warm lips were pressed suddenly against his wet skin.

"…You are mine, right?" Sasuke spoke after a while. "You're mine..."

"Eh, what?" Naruto blinked. Now, he's totally confused.

"You'll never leave me again?"

_-you'll never fly away from me_

"Uh… Yeah, of course not." Naruto faced the raven fully. His hands gripped the other's shoulders.

"What are you saying? What is this about?" Naruto asked, searching for anything in Sasuke's eyes.

The Uchiha was now soaked to the skin; his bangs hanging limply on his face. His head was lowered pitifully. He looked like a child that has been left in the rain.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto's fingers tangled themselves on the Uchiha's hair. "Hey… Hey, what's wrong?"

"…."

A pale hand slowly rose and gently stroked the whiskered cheek. Vaguely, Naruto was reminded of what happened last night. He closed his eyes as memories flashed by.

_Last night, he cried so hard while reading his letters. _

_And Sasuke… Sasuke just listened._

_And when Naruto stopped reading, Sasuke licked the trail of tears on his face. And the kiss they shared that night was the most painful, yet gratifying kiss he's ever experienced. _

_Everything was a blur after that._

"You will never leave me again, right?" Sasuke's deep voice cut him off from his thoughts. Naruto opened his eyes and the Uchiha's dark eyes were finally on his.

"No, no, of course not. I will not…" Naruto shook his head. "I will never leave again, I promise."

And to seal that promise, Naruto wrapped his arms around the older man's neck and pulled him closer. "I love you, bastard. Don't you ever forget that. I will always…"

"You are mine, Naruto." Sasuke said.

The tone has suddenly changed and if Naruto was more observant, he could have noticed that.

"Yeah. And you're my jerk-ass bastard too," Naruto said softly. He kissed the side of the Uchiha's face, his neck, and everywhere he could reach—completely disregarding the raven's tightening, bruising hold on his body.

"I love you," Naruto said again.

There was silence after that, and Naruto patiently waited.

The sound of the shower was drowned out in their ears and there is no world other than theirs. The billowing steam enclosed them as if separating them from everything.

"I love you too." Sasuke finally said.

The words were repeated over and over again as Sasuke dragged his heated lips across the tan skin.

"Mine… Forever mine." Sasuke whispered.

And here, Naruto finally closed his eyes; a smile forming on his face.

.

.

* * *

_Slow, now—go at this softly._

"_**Baby, who were you? How would you grow… and who would you love?"**_

_-James Ellroy, "The Black Dahlia"_

* * *

**_END_**

**_._**

**_._**

**_-Responses to Questions / Comments -_**

**Shiroxcat: **_How did Sai know how Sasuke dealt with Naruto's absence if he hadn't met him?_ In the epilogue, when Sai met Sasuke for the first time, he mentioned that he had heard "great" things regarding Sasuke. This sort of implied he did his research about the whole family. It was not worded out in the story but Sai's job includes knowing everything about his employers, even keeping tabs on each of them without their knowledge.

_What is Danzo's connection to Naruto? _Danzo met Naruto when the latter was 13. Remember the hidden camera in the governor's hotel room? It was placed there by one of Danzo's men. Politicians destroy each other. In a political sense, Danzo's aim was to "ruin" the governor's public cred using his "indecent" lifestyle. This was also one of the reasons why Danzo was one of first who arrived in the scene. It was at that crucial moment where he discovered Naruto. When Fugaku adopted Naruto, Danzo had planned to use him to ruin Fugaku this time. Regrettably, I wasn't able to delve further into Danzo and Naruto's story. They had indeed met and talked. In such ugly circumstances though...

**violetkisses and FanofBellaandEdward: **_Was Sasuke planning to kill Naruto if Naruto somehow gave the wrong answer (Epilogue)? _No, definitely no. I know I portrayed Sasuke as somewhat of a 'dark, obsessive' character, but he does love Naruto. He loves him so much. He'll never do anything to harm him again. What the last part meant was no matter what Naruto's answer is, Sasuke will never let him go. He'll make sure that they'll never be separated again. That's possessive and somewhat twisted, but he's not murderous. Thank you so much!

**Reader:** Oh yes. I agree, it does give off that vibe. Thank you, still.

**Wolfthoughts: **I'm sorry for the confusion. I'm sure you'll find your answers in the comments section. Thank you!

**Xhre: **At the first part, Naruto can't say he loves Sasuke because he's still going to leave and he knows that that would hurt Sasuke. Kakashi betrayed Sasuke because he cares genuinely for the Uchiha and he knows that doing the latter's whims will never help him. Kakashi doesn't want Sasuke's sins to pile up and eventually break him. Sasuke doesn't have more control than his father. Indeed he has many connections and secret dealings but Fugaku is still the more powerful one. Thank you so much!

**sasunaruhugznkisses: **Yes, the ending. Honestly, I debated whether I should stop at the beach-scene. I decided that I shouldn't and so, the part 2. I want the readers to see that Naruto still felt guilt at what he had done and that he should still do something to protect his family. What he did is a crime, and I know it cannot be justified by escaping to another country, but that's the only way Naruto could do. I don't want to end the story without Naruto doing anything about "that problem." I'm sorry if the romance between Sasuke and Naruto was hindered because of that. I'm so sorry. Next time I write a story, I'll focus more on their relationship. I'm sorry about that and I hope, if ever I write an epilogue, it would be satisfying. Thank you so much for the review again!

**Kurama's Foxy Rose: **Oh an epilogue? Um. I will try. I will have to finish HMB first or a chapter at least. Sorry if you find the ending unsettled. And thank you!

**SilverSauce: **OMG, thank you so much! That was long. Thank you for the effort. I really, really appreciate it. Now, for your question: _Why did Naruto leave?_ (I forgot to include this one in the notes, sorry!) Naruto did not leave for himself. He knows that he can't escape his past and he'll forever bear the stigma of that abuse. He left because he knows that even if Danzo is already dead, there are people still capable of digging his past. Naruto left to protect his family. The Uchiha is a political clan. Any issue or controversy has the potential to ruin them. _Why did Sasuke never even bothered to open the letters? _The letters were sent back because Sasuke doesn't want to read them. There are two reasons for this. There is a sadistic part of him that wants Naruto to feel his pain for leaving him ("You hurt me first"-bold part). Also, he knew in his heart that once he read Naruto's letters, he won't be able to hold back and he'll chase after the other again, throwing everything away. His study has been his refuge, his distraction. Though in the end, it was revealed that no matter what he does, he just can't let go. Yes, dobe-teme dramatics. Once again, thank you so much! Thank you!

**fnza: **Sorry, I'm very confusing. _What happened to Itachi_? Itachi came with Naruto to the U.S. He's Naruto's guardian there. Nothing happened between them anymore, because even though Itachi loves Naruto, Naruto does not reciprocate that kind of love. _Why was Naruto unable to contact Sasuke?_ As mentioned, Sasuke changed his contact details and address - only giving them to Itachi. And the letters Naruto sent were "disregarded" by Sasuke. (Reasons above) Thank you so much!

**ttixz bebe: **I'm very honored! Of course, you can! If you have any questions regarding the story, please ask! Thank you!

**nailej:** In this chapter, I hope I answered your questions. Well, most of them hopefully. _Is Sasuke insane? _I leave the judgment to you readers. But I do intend him to act a bit more obsessive and deranged. Thank you.

**Powder: **Once again, thank you so much! I'm flattered, honored, giddy, every time I read your comments. Thank you! [sniff] I do want to strangle myself too when I revived Naruto, but I love him and I don't want him to die. Also, he's still has a big role to play in the end. He's the main character after all. _Does Itachi love Naruto? _Yes, he does. But is it mutual? No. Naruto loves him like a brother. What happened to them in Chapter 2 is kind of an accident as Naruto is quite not himself at that moment. Thank you, thank you!

**Stalker-san: **Thank you so much! Your words are so flattering. _Was Naruto abused (sexually)? _Yes he was when he was 13, right after he met Itachi. I didn't delve much into this, sorry about that. The brown-eyed guy that Naruto beat up in Part 2 was the "pimp" who sold him to the governor in Part 3 (hotel-room incident).

**Narutopokefan** (no sequel, sorry); **kyuubiton1114; Cb; ImaWilburD; EnchantedToReadYou; sugardash; crystalxangel; Mystic Dewdrop; violetkisses; Xhre;**** Cakeat; NiChee; Everclear-san; rabbit 17; Brie92**;** fujoshikanojo94; nertz; annabellemanix; Corn; pervyprincess;** **Aiko Tachibana; fnza; Lonelylulaby; Adevlo D.; Seungho; soulclenzing; Estella Maria; SUPERANON; The Darkness Of Your Fall; Jannasaur; Echo Uchiha; Kurama's Foxy Rose; Mimi Aiko; ME; patterns-at-dusk; JDark; Lastimosa; Kooksmagoogles; and to all ANONYMOUS reviewers: **Thank you so much for your words! I really appreciate all of them. You don't how much these words mean to me.

**To everyone who +added, +faved, or read this story: **I extend my deepest, sincerest gratitude. Thank you very much!


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